Far From Perfection 2: The Price of Perfection
by CheddarFetta
Summary: Three years on, everything seems perfect. However, the price of holding onto their perfect lives soon becomes clear when good becomes bad, and bad becomes worse. How will our favourite characters deal with all new challenges that surround everyone's lives? Pairings: Zane/Rikki, Cleo/Lewis, Will/Bella.
1. Flash Forward

**Welcome to a brand new Far From Perfection! **

**We start off three years after the final chapter of the original story and we start off in a different state too. Sydney is personally one of my favourite cities in the world and I was inspired to start it off there as something a little bit different since I was there at the time of writing. Plus, I thought it was an awesome way to incorporate a whole heap of group scenes!**

**Enjoy this new beginning and I'll love you forever if you let me know what you thought of it!**

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**Chapter One – Flash Forward:**

_35,000 feet above the ground,_  
**Newcastle, ****New South Wales**

The difference that three years can make on six individuals lives is truly quite an incredible thing.

Just like a seat in a plane, as ascending from the safe familiarity of ground can give a whole new and fresh perspective on landscapes, locations and sceneries that one may know like the back of their hand, looking at lives with a view to the past as you compare point A in your life with that of point B can work as a true eye opener.

That is just how the lives of these six individuals will be examined; from somewhere in the air, passing over and around Newcastle and between point A of the Gold Coast, Queensland and point B of Sydney, New South Wales. Similarly, a comparison of point A as twenty-one year olds, compared to the same lives of the people in point B as twenty-four year olds.

Lewis and Cleo McCartney had a stranger squashed in the third seat, located between the two of them on the plane. Lewis's fail with checking-in to the flight acted as a reminder, that although Cleo would permit his pride to be cushioned with taking the lead as the head of their two-piece family with performing normal duties, that sometimes he wasn't always up to it.

Although the seating had just been a simple mistake on Lewis's part during the online check-in of the flight, the principle applied to larger matters that he would step up to... as though he had never been affected by the Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Saying that, he had managed to fight hard against the disease to get his life back to a state of normality, three years on. While he was the old Lewis for the most part, the GBS had left some smaller scars on Lewis's abilities and it had had some minor repercussions.

No-one would ever choose to go through and endure the syndrome which Lewis had bore the brunt of, with his wife's support, but now it had been three years since the initial diagnosis and two years since he had been classified as in recovery. However, both halves of the couple would readily agree that even though they had spent more of their lives together than and that they had been through individual and shared problems for so long, the Guillain-Barré had proven to be their most relationship strengthening and self-improving hurdle that they had ever survived. Cleo and Lewis believe that they are better people for working through Lewis's illness, and if that hadn't, _nothing_ could tear their marriage and love apart.

To the left of the married couple who had recently celebrated their 4th wedding anniversary sat Zane Bennett and Rikki Chadwick. This particular couple had discovered that when you mix dynamite with dynamite it can either create a spectacular, awe-inspiring firework display, or it can backfire in a catastrophic grenade.

Evidently, the couple have had their ups and downs over the years, experiencing times of radiant highs, along with the times of supreme lows. However, in spite of the couple's natural extremities within their relationship, at some point in time, Zane and Rikki had grown up.

... Apparently!

Jokes aside, Zane and Rikki had obviously done some amount of soul-searching and self-improvement since their eighteenth year of life, when their relationship had fallen apart the most recent time. They had beaten their personal records of lasting longer than they ever had lasted together before, and with anyone else either party dated before too. Suffice to say, in summary, the relationship affectionately nicknamed '_Zikki'_ had been on a good, slow, but solid boil for the last three years.

An additional relationship that Rikki had taken slowly and steadily (but not necessarily smoothly) was that of with her younger and previously unbeknownst sister, Tam. The girls still had a long way to go, but they had come a ridiculously long way from the early days when Rikki didn't even want to have a bar of her younger and only sibling.

Behind the couple sat Will Benjamin and Bella Hartley with their daughter sitting in the middle seat and in between the two of them. The past few years, they have spent time discovering that the past does _not_ have to define the future... As long as _you_ are not the one to let it.

When in the early stages of normalizing and rebuilding her life three years ago, Bella had been more than reluctant towards Will, only extending herself as much as she needed to for the absolute minimum in the awkwardness they worked through for the sake of their daughter. However, their endurance and persistence with the uncomfortable situation had resulted fruitfully and things had been working out well.

Bella and Will had both found a good balance with their mutual focus on their daughter they shared who had just reached the mark of turning four years of age a week earlier, being of their primary concern. But in addition, they had also found a comfortable medium in their own relationship which allowed them to be in a place with one another where they not only cooperatively co-parented Allie, but a place where they would both consider one another as one of their closest friends.

Slowly, Will had managed to develop a good relationship and bond with his daughter whose first year he had missed out on, due to both parent's combined stubbornness. However, with adequate time, Bella had permitted extensions to Will's access with Allie, first beginning with him taking her for an afternoon, which eventuated into a whole day, then a overnight sleepover, to the point of shared custody between both parent's. Now, the two spent three days a week with Allie, exclusively, as well as spending one day a week together as a family, while Will had her three nights a week to Bella's four.

Triggered by glancing at his daughter's books and seeing her '_Learn with Peppa Pig_' book where he could clearly identify every character on the cover, Will pondered the fact that looking back to three years ago, there was no way that he would be able to name one, let alone have an intense discussion or conversation about every children's program that aired on TV. Three years ago, he had no idea that he would let a tot paint his toenails a blinding shade of pink (he has since learnt the lesson to invest in nail polish remover for himself, too), just with the sole purpose of pleasing her. He was also oblivious to the fact that he would be able to recite more children's songs than he could of the lyrics for the songs on the nightly '_Hot 30 Countdown'_.

However, each and every one of both the individuals and the couples decisions over the last three years lead to the very place in their lives that they are now.

Looking out of the small window below Lewis's normal line of vision, he had to look down uncomfortably to see the views of the mountains, the streams and rivers that progressively lead to an increase in roads, houses and establishments as the aircraft neared the city and their physical destination. At the same time as catching a look for himself, Lewis tried to describe the sights to an agitated Cleo, talking over the sleeping Filipino in between the two of them from her seat that confined her to the aisle seat.

Across the aisle, Rikki and Zane struggled to look out the different views from their window on the opposite side of the plane to Cleo and Lewis, with the couple bickering over their knowledge of the city and what they could see from above, debating what the visible landmarks were and where. Behind the argumentative couple, Allie could see past her bulkier father to see the views out of the plane caught her attention – for a few minutes at least!

"What is that down there? Why is it so little? Where are we now? Why are the clouds going away? Are we there yet?" the inquisitive tot questioned to whoever would answer her as she shot out every question that passed through her little mind.

"That, A?" Will confirmed as he looked out to see the same scenery as his daughter.

"That's Sydney. That's where they found Nemo."

Finally, after a one and a half hour flight, the seven had landed at the destination of their summer holiday that had been a work of communal planning over the last few months, with the trip marking the beginning of summer and the holiday season, which the friends had chosen to share in the different state and city.

It was Zane and Will's umpteenth trip (hence, naming them as the delegated tour guides of the trip) to the more southern city of Sydney. While Cleo, Lewis and Bella had all visited once or twice every now and then, it was Rikki's first trip to the city which she had no idea of how greatly it would was going to change her present and future life.

However, as they all neared the destination, it was not only Rikki whose life's about to reach a turning point, just with some of the 7 experiencing more changes than others...

* * *

**Bondi Beach, Sydney,  
New South Wales:**

"HOLDING THE BALL!" Zane exclaimed in a loud grunt of protest to his best mate's foul move in the three boy's smaller imitation of Aussie Rule's, or AFL, football.

In the explanation of their own variation of the game to the uninterested girl's, they had included the fact that there are three teams as they were all on their own individual teams, another twist on the original rule of two teams of 22 footballers. Basically, it was just a game of 'keep-the-ball-away-from-each-other-for-as-long-as-possible'.

Meanwhile, far in from the shore and away from the slowly rising water, three girls and a preschooler sat amongst the sand, sipping an assortment of Vodka Cruiser's and Midori Splice's from straws.

The sun was hot. The sand was warm. The drinks were cold. Life was good.

Cleo was reading a new novel that she had splashed out to buy herself as a holiday treat and Rikki lay on her stomach, alternating between positions and angles to capture photos from. It was safe to say that both girl's were far more relaxed and tranquil than Bella, as she alternated between feeding Allie melon or sultanas and convincing her to dig through the dry sand with her bucket and spade... anything to keep her daughter as far away from the water as possible, cursing whoever's decision it was to visit the iconic and primarily tourist-based, Bondi beach in eastern Sydney.

Shortly after the ball made its way into the water after Lewis was too close to the shore and at the same time as Zane's tackle, a unanimous decision was made to take a quarter, or halftime break, depending on how long the boy's stayed interested in their game. Zane retrieved the ball from the water (submerging himself far further in the waves than what he needed to), being the last to plonk down on the sand next to the girl's.

"Gimme a kiss, Rik" Zane teased as he neared his wet body closer to his long-term girlfriend's, knowing that unless he wanted to risk revealing the girl's secret on one of Australia's most popular beaches, he would never actually touch her while being so soaking wet.

Just as Zane knew he would never touch her, Rikki knew Zane wouldn't either, but that didn't stop her from squirming away in the sand from her settled position as she stifled a laugh.

Laughing as he noticed the total parallel to amusement written on his daughter's face from the affection of the couple in a such a close vicinity to the horrified four year old, Will decided to distract Allie from her disgust of Zane and Rikki's flirtatiousness.

"Great sandcastle you got going there, kiddo."

While Allie had a far greater memory than she had even just a year earlier, the tot was still at that age of distractions being able to completely derail previous trains of thought – working as both an advantage and disadvantage to her parents in particular.

"Thanks daddy. It's a Fairy's castle" Allie informed with a smile. Any irritation from the loved-up couple's PDA's was completely eradicated.

Of course, the young father played along with the complimenting game for the sake of his child's ego, telling her how he thought the pile of sand looked 'exactly' like a castle for Fairies and that the unidentifiable structure was 'the best he had ever seen'.

Inches away from Will and Allie were Cleo and Lewis. Cleo was comfily laying on her stomach as she read her book that had been specially allocated for their holiday, while Lewis crept as close to her as he could without running the risk of getting her wet from the isolated parts of his body which were still holding the traces of liquid, as he asked questions about Cleo's book, taking a special interest in the novel that had been purchased at the same time as his latest Scientific textbook.

Life was _very_ good.

A statement that each member of the group would agree with.

After a period of three years, all six of the adults had worked hard to attain a position in their lives where life could be considered really good and really comfortable.

But, comfortable wasn't a word to describe the way that their lives would stay...

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**So what did we think? I am really happy with the change of scenery by writing in Sydney, so I hope you're enjoying that too. There's a lot of fun and a lot still come from this trip... **

**I'll try to reply to any burning questions or feedback as soon as I can, but it may not be immediately or for a few days as my whole week has been manipulated by 'Wedding World' and appointments or preparation for it as I'm in my friend's wedding weekend.**

**All reviews, favourites, follows and etc are gratefully appreciated! **

**Next chapter: As the group are enjoying being quite the tourists, Zane is evidently on edge and covering the tracks of his secret. What is he hiding from Rikki and their friends?**


	2. That Heady Rush

**Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your wonderful feedback on the first chapter of Far From Perfection 2. I felt like it was quite different to anything I'd written in the first story as it was a lot fluffier and more group-involving than I wrote before. Also it was in third person for a change. I stick with third person for the first few chapters of this story and I believe I will also end with a few third person chapters for this one too.**

**In other news, I just discovered that I have already written over a third of this story! I cannot believe how quickly that has gone by. I'm really hoping updates are going to be more frequent and less spasmodic with this story and so fat I think I'm doing well with that! I've updated like 4 times in 3 weeks! **

**Enjoy chapter 2! I hope you'll like it as much as or more than the first. It's another reasonably fluffy chapter, but by the end, the cogs start moving to really get this story started...**

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**Chapter Two – That Heady Rush**

**Darling Harbour,**

**Sydney, New South Wales:**

The group of seven wandered around Sydney's secondary harbour, Darling Harbour, en-route to some of the cities foremost tourist attractions. In the harbour, three of the five were located directly next to each other in the order of _Wildlife Sydney Zoo_, _Madame Tussaud's_ and the _Sydney Sea Life Aquarium_ consecutively placed away from the water and at the end of the pier.

After the disaster of Bondi Beach, Bella had vowed to keep Allie away from any -and all –swimmable, open water and suggested that the aquarium would be a good destination to visit, especially when most of the group was passionately interested in marine life. And, on the plus side she had suggested it because it would be all tanks and glass enclosures, keeping all the girls safe from and, especially Allie, _far_ away from water hazards.

She was wrong.

Almost as though the four year old had known about her mother's vow, Allie had made it her task to get both of her parent's into as many unintentionally sticky situations as she could manage.

From the earliest point possible, Allie began shooting out a little too revealing questions to her father, mother and beloved 'aunties' and 'uncles' regarding the marine life such as "_can we see this when we swim to Mako?_", "_where are all of the other mermaids?_" and "_look! That tail looks just like mine!_"

Needless to say, Bella and Will became quite the experts at explaining their daughter's 'vivid and overactive imagination' to explain Allie's public tongue-slips after revealing too much about her swimming experiences to other members of the public within hearing range of the four year olds questions.

The next difficulty was upon reaching the interactive rock pool, where patrons could dip their hands in to feel and touch assorted starfish, crabs and shells in the shallow water. Before either Bella or Will had a chance to distract Allie and walk straight passed it, after a worker had asked the group if they wanted to feel the coral, Allie had answered for herself, almost dunking her hand in the water before her father caught and picked her up as quickly as possible.

"Sorry. We have to keep moving. We're on a tight schedule" Will lied to the unfazed worker and his irritated daughter.

* * *

All of the girls had especially _loved_ the aquarium, being able to see some animals they were familiar with, but from a different perspective, as well as watching new one's that they had never come across on their swims before.

Under the marine sector, all in the group had had their own personal favourite animal or exhibit that they took extra time to savour and enjoy. For Lewis, it was the scientific and biological marvel of seahorses that took his interest, considering how the male seahorse is the carrier of offspring. While Cleo loved comparing all of the exhibits between the ones she saw daily and worked at between the Sydney version, she was especially fond of the penguins, taking her time to read the profiling and pairings of every individual, before trying to pick them out in the exhibit personally. Bella was fascinated by the small jellyfish, in such an environmentally complimentary tank with the colour changing lights which was quite a beautiful, graceful show for the eyes. Zane, ever the marine enthusiast (especially since his 'shark' incident for Lewis's short film) was most infatuated with the gift shop where the eyes of figurines and toys _didn't_ watch him perilously in a room full of marine-associated dollar symbols. Will was ecstatic to see the Dugongs in the big mammals sector, as they had been an animal he had been fascinated with as a boy, but due to their rare status he had failed to see one for many years. Finally, Rikki loved the stingrays... Although Zane became a little concerned of her motives behind the interest when she spent ages studying and verbally expressing her curiosity of '_how a stingray could stab a person in the heart, like it did to Steve Irwin_'. Zane simply used it as a reminder to remember to stay on the mermaid's good side.

The visit to the _Madame Tussaud's_ waxwork figures attraction was much enjoyed, but for the youngest in the group, it was a disaster. Allie was beyond freaked out by "_the scary people who won't move_". Before they had even reached the Australian sporting greats, Will had to cover her eyes and carry her out of the tourist-attraction building (walking straight passed his photo opportunity with Miranda Kerr; much to his disappointment) entertaining her until the remaining five sauntered through the exit to join the bored father-daughter duo.

Finally at the end of the pier and the closest building to the water of the three, the group reached the _Wildlife Sydney Zoo_.

If it hadn't of been for a free ticket to the attraction with the combo package, the group would have skipped a visit to the zoo, knowing full well of the unbearable 'Australian animals' stereotypes that lay inside.

Zane especially struggled to remain sane within the confines of the building. After passing a few animals, he began to revert to some of his more villainous ways, telling as many horrified overseas tourists as he could: "_Welcome to Australia. We're actually more used to seeing koalas and kangaroos dead on the side of the road, than alive. Cheaper than visiting this place, too! Enjoy your stay_."

Needless to say, with Zane's harshness, the group didn't stay in there all that long – simply getting through and taking a few pictures along the way as quickly as they could.

* * *

"SO, what next peeps?!" Rikki enthusiastically questioned the group as a collective as the seven trailed out through the doors of the final attraction.

Cleo groaned as she walked, looking over to her husband "Sorry if I'm a party pooper, but I'm thinking I might head back to the hotel room for a while to lie down. I'm learning the hard way that champagne breakfasts and too much walking, and, or sun is not the brightest idea or the best mix."

"Do you think you'll have time? Don't forget that dinner at _Sydney Towe_r is booked for 7!" Zane nervously warned before it had even been confirmed whether or not Cleo and Lewis would be returning to the George Street accommodation or not anyway.

"That's _hours_ away, Zane" Rikki teased with an eye roll, beginning to reach the end of her tether regarding her boyfriend's high priority of the dinner reservation, which seemed to be as important as one with the Queen.

However, Zane eventually won out and the group all ended up heading back to the hotel rooms. With an hour or so remaining to kill, standing in the way of the reservation at the _Sydney Westfield Tower Eye _on Market Street.

To pass the time, Will and Zane decided on hitting the communal gym facility included in the accommodation, only needing to allow five minutes turn around, just enough time for a shower and change before leaving again.

After somehow managing to wrangle the boys into taking Allie with them for her to occupy herself with the exercise balls and raise questions about every single piece of equipment in the room, Bella and Rikki were in the downstairs cafe, enjoying the peace and quiet of a girly chat. Initially Lewis was planning on hanging out with one or both of the boys while his wife napped in their hotel room before they needed to leave, but he found himself far more content with the concept of reading a book in the room after catching wind of the boys plan to go down to the gym.

* * *

After regrouping in the foyer and setting off on their way again for the five minute walk, they reached the tower; the location which had caused much angst and excitement for Zane, while the other adults teased him over the fact that you couldn't miss the place that towered over every other building which he had been so worked up and anxious about locating.

Despite hesitancies of being about to ascend so high into the sky from some more than others (including Zane, who had been the ringleader of the outing); the seven piled into one of the elevators, shooting up the 76 floors at a startling rate of two floors a second, all in order to reach the restaurant located on the second highest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere.

Exiting the doors of the small confine after the less than forty second trip, from the second that the doors were opened each individual was uplifted, with a stolen breath from the views that were like nothing else that they could ever compare it to.

In view was the setting sun, the tops of tall buildings and skyscrapers along the streets in the very heart of Sydney, the figures of the Blue Mountains in the distance to the west, the Northern Beaches sprawled ahead north, with Botany Bay and the airport visible to the south, the harbours, the coast, the various islands and the open water that stretched all the way to New Zealand on the east. It was a phenomenal, breathtaking sight, without a doubt.

With the atmosphere and distant 360⁰ panoramic views enrapturing the group, the room they stood in and the restaurant around them was a last priority to look at... The revolving restaurant that if they had of been released from their surrounding's charm, they would have realized that Zane had booked out entirely for the purpose of their sole use.

Looking over to her boyfriend to check he hadn't bolted back down the elevators to return to solid ground in an anxiety attack at the heights, Rikki was still amazed that Zane had been so eager to initiate the outing to the tower. However, as she looked over to check his presence, she was half surprised to find Zane was still standing there, by her side, triggering her realization as she noticed the rest of the room.

"You are kidding, Zane! You've gone all out. Did you have a spare couple thousand just laying around that you needed to blow or something?!" Rikki mused as she looked around the evidently empty room with the one table marked with a '_Reserved'_ sign that probably didn't need to be there for anyone carrying even just half of a brain.

While the most obvious points of the restaurant room was the view and the fact that it was completely empty and reserved for the group of friends and the staff that was there to serve them privately, it was the finer and more extensively planned ambient details that went unnoticed by most... The fresh flowers that most patrons of the restaurant would not be surrounded by due to the added expenses of arrangement, the candles around the room that had been arranged along with the booking and the playlist of songs playing softly in the background, handpicked from favourites of every member of the group.

For the next few minutes, before anyone had even managed to reach their seat and sit down, the adults among the group absorbed the atmosphere from all angles of the large open room while the youngster in the group caught sight of the large platters of food which captured her attention and interest compared to the scenery she was a little too young to truly appreciate.

Eventually, triggered by Allie's nags over the luxurious buffet of food she had been ogling desirably, the seven made their way to the seats allocated on the one main table of the floor 260 metres above the ground level of Pitt Street.

Food and all of the different choices of such quickly became the topic of conversation for the hungry group before Zane caught their attention in just enough time before they left the table with food being the only thing on their mind.

Rising from his seat with a nervous breath, Zane Bennett struggled to determine which was more frightening – the fact that he was so ridiculously high up in the air, suspended by only a few poles and overlapping wires or the question he was dying to get off of his chest and into the open.

"Sorry guys. I'm sure that you are hungry, but I just wanted to get your attention for a few moments. You might be wondering what the heck we're doing up here, especially when I'm not going to hide the fact that heights and I have never been good friends. The thing is that I just wanted to explain a few things before I ask one of the most important questions of my life."

It was more than obvious which direction Zane was leading and alluding to, which his friend's quickly caught on to, with their attention fixated on the nervous brunette.

"Thanks for coming up here, all of you" Zane thanked in general to his friends who had joined him in showing up for the reservation, before his focus dead-panned in on Rikki.

"Anyway, I wanted to come up here because I think that the Sydney Tower Eye and heights in general reminds me of that day when we were locked out on the balcony during the conference. I feel like that was the first time and moment where we truly connected and I began to fall in love with you, when you helped me overcome my fear of heights and it is a memory that I will treasure for the rest of my life."

Zane looks away from Rikki, out the windows surrounding him and the others in every direction before continuing to speak in the dead-silent room, where every person was holding onto his every word.

"That balcony would have only been about a quarter of the height of this tower. That was why I wanted to bring you here... Before I met you, before I connected with you that day, this is a place I would never have even dreamed to make it up to the top of, not over my dead body. That's why I wanted to do this here and show you the significance of and as a testament to how far we have come over the last few years, together, as well as as individuals. This is just one small example of how we bring out the best in each other."

As she alternated between tapping her father and mother's shoulders for attention and someone to answer her question of when they could eat, and henceforth, fill her little belly with the food that she tormentingly saw in the distance, Allie was on a completely different wavelength to the adults, paying the least attention to the scene in front of her.

Lewis, _ever_ the romantic, was fixated on the psychology behind the event, trying to read both Zane and Rikki's body language and expressions. He read the fact that Zane was possibly more nervous than he had ever seen him be before. Looking to Rikki –however- was a very different story. You didn't need any expert knowledge to see the fact that she looked more than startled, sitting there like a stunned mullet as she listened.

Cleo, the hopeless romantic was almost brought to tears from the special moment that was playing out before her, quietly jealous of all the thought and effort that had gone into the moment for her least-romantic friend.

Creeping down memory lane, she remembered the night of her own proposal. She knew it was coming. Lewis asked for her ring size and preference over diamonds, rubies or sapphires. The surprise in the evening was that despite the romantic picnic dinner at Mako Island, where she waited through the entire three course meal for Lewis to pop the question at any moment, her boyfriend at the time had unintentionally wimped out of asking her the question for the entire evening. In fact, the point of which he mustered up the courage was on her driveway, in the car after they arrived home when he asked her from the driver's seat in the dark of midnight. So, as he finally pulled out the beautiful ring she'd been dying to see, she couldn't even catch a glimpse of it through the dimly-lit car before she said 'yes'.

Similarly to Cleo, Bella adored the romantic gesture, with just as much jealousy in comparison to her own extremely short-lived engagement with her ex-boyfriend, Daniel which had ended badly in every sense of the word. The 'effort' involved in her proposal was short, sharp and shiny...just enough to get the job 'done'. He'd put together every Facebook photo including each other from both of their accounts, sticking in a couple of songs and splashed out on a sparkler to win her 'yes'. Even in the heat of the moment Bella could smell the faux tainting the event, the fact that it was more about Daniel keeping her and winning her than loving her enough to commit to spending the rest of his life with her.

Watching the scene play out, Will was absolutely stoked for his best guy-friend and girl-friend, as long as Rikki said yes of course. However, in the moment and with his complete surprise at the event, he fought the temptation to feel offended that as his best mate, Zane hadn't told, mentioned or even alluded anything about his plans to Will.

"So, I guess what I am trying to say and what I wanted our nearest and dearest to be with us for is me swallowing my ego and undeservedly asking my beautiful girlfriend whether you, Rikki Chadwick will do me the greatest honour of marrying me?"

Rikki was no fool. She didn't take long to not only suspect, but to also confirm her thoughts over what was happening, what Zane was trying to say and what words were coming as he warmed up to pop the big question.

However, just because she knew the question that was coming, it does not mean that she was any more prepared for and any less startled and surprised by the question itself...

* * *

**Soooo, what did you all think about that?! I'm a little apprehensive as to how the proposal will be taken, because typically, I don't see Zikki as a soppy, romantic couple necessarily so I was hesitant to write such an over-the-top proposal. But saying that, I personally could see it being the approach Zane would take as the natural rich-kid way of trying to buy people in a way. It's like a bit of a security blanket in a way.**

**Anyway, I'd appreciate your thoughts and feedback on anything to do with this chapter! Don't forget to review, follow and favourite :) **

**Next chapter: The aftermath of the proposal. What will ****Rikki say? Also, Lewis has a treat in store for Cleo, while Will pushes the limits with Bella. **


	3. The Right Time

**Hey all, another chapter... These updates are becoming weekly! I just wanted tomstick this one up so that all of the passionate Zikki readers would have an answer to the cliffy - I know what a drag having to wait for a resolution is! **

**I've had an eventful week... I had 2 exams and then 2 babies (a day apart!) were born in my family after my cousin was born and another cousin had a baby too. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! Your support of this means so much. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter! **

* * *

**Chapter Three – The Right Time**

_With Rikki & Zane:_

The answer was yes. Despite Rikki's half an hour of hesitations and Zane's half an hour of succinct assurances, the answer was always going to be yes.

... Well for that _one_ question anyway. The questions that followed that were a _very_ different story.

"No! We are not getting married at that stupid BMX Park with stunt motorbikes flying over our heads as we say '_I do'_. No amount of convincing will work, Zane!"

At this point, after an hour of arguing, refusals over one another's suggestions and flying words, the newly engaged couple were heading closer to digging each other's graves than they were to walking down the aisle.

Obviously none of the planning was set in stone, but at this point there was nothing _to_ set in stone.

They were unable to agree on who they were to ask for their wedding party, the month, a honeymoon location (Rikki was dead-set for a isolated tropical island while Zane was sold on 'backpacking' through Europe's five star resorts), the venue, the number of bridesmaids and groomsmen were uneven no matter how hard they tried, and that wasn't even mentioning who was being partnered with whom.

"Fine. I f we have it at Mako, then I'm having Will as my best man with Nate and Lewis."

"You can't have Will as your best man if Cleo's my maid of honour, that's just awkward! No one wants Nate in this wedding! If Nate's a groomsmen, neither Bella nor Tam will even want to be in the wedding in case they're partnered with him!"

Zane shrugged smugly, knowing the relentless stubbornness of both parties would result in them being led back onto the same loop track that they had spent the last twenty minutes on discussing the wedding party _alone_.

"In that case, then you have to narrow it down to two bridesmaids. If Nate's out, there are no other guys I want as groomsmen."

With an eye roll as she crossed her arms, there was almost a mutual understanding that that subject of the wedding party had been exhausted enough for the day in their completely, absolutely and totally unproductive wedding planning bickers. Rikki in all of her fire, decided to only make worse as she reverted back to one of their last arguments regarding clothing, after _she_ had actually been the one to prematurely end twenty minutes earlier saying that it was against 'tradition' (not that either of the couple cared for that) for him to know even the slightest detail about her dress.

"And just for the record, I am not getting married in a big, poufy and especially NOT white dress. My name is not Cinder-freaking-rella. I couldn't give a damn about tradition. White dresses and white clothing of any sort is an accident waiting to happen. Maybe I could go with something red... or black... or patterned!"

As with much of their relationship, Zane and Rikki were unable to see eye-to-eye, or even see simply as far as one another's perspectives.

As far as Zane was concerned, he was absolutely right in his own opinion, while as far as Rikki was concerned, she was undoubtedly the correct one.

Regardless, it didn't change the fact that at this rate, Zane and Rikki would be attending two very different weddings, with two very different themes and venues, in front of two very different weddings parties and guests and going on two very different honeymoons.

Zane's wedding would be an intricate and extravagant affair, making sure that he was the man of the moment with his wife to be, and that nobody would forget that over the course of the day. Rikki on the other hand would be happy with any and all of the formalities ending after the moment 'I do' was uttered.

Zane wouldn't accept anything less than a five-course-meal or degustation-meal, while Rikki would be content with charcoal chicken and chips on the beach.

Different worlds...

The big question, the biggest since Zane had popped _the_ question, was whether or not the couple would ever work together as a team, with each other's interests in mind and make enough self-sacrificing decisions to plan an _actual_ wedding, or not.

* * *

Elsewhere, walking through The Rocks and en-route to Circular Quay, Cleo, Lewis, Will, Bella and Allie were passing under the Sydney Harbour Bridge which towered above them and the footpath, cars above whirring passed in both directions to Milson or Millers Point.

"Do you think I can touch?!" the four-year-old asked to whoever would answer her as she stretched her small arm high up in the air with the innocent hope of touching the top of the metal that was unreachably high and unmovable - many, many metres above the little girl.

Below Allie, Will gripped onto the tot's knees from where she sat on his shoulders, feeling as though she was the tallest person alive. In her perception, based on height alone Allie considered her tall, young father as being "_more than a hundred_", just as she thought she would be able to touch the Harbour Bridge in her belief she was so high up.

"Not quite Allie" Cleo laughed as she glanced over to the outstretched toddler, exerting herself to try and make the impossible achievement.

"Maybe you'll reach it the next time you see the Harbour Bridge, sweetie."

As he walked alongside the married couple and their romantically entangled hands, Will too laughed at Allie's innocently unrealistic ambition.

"Dream big... that's my girl!"

The other three adults expressed their amusement at the comment and general dialogue over the last few minutes, at different levels ranging from a laugh, to a giggle and a beam.

"So what do you lot have planned for the rest of the day?" Lewis asked a few minutes later, after conversation began to die down and dwindle.

The question was posed as the group, who were walking away from The Rocks and Walsh Bay, reached a line of direct contact with the Sydney Opera House... Aside from the water of the Harbour leading up to the ferry moorings, separating them from the landmark due to the natural, water-filled horseshoe shape harbour.

"Well before we discovered Allie and aquariums are a recipe for disaster, we were planning to take her to the _Manly Aquarium_ too. Now we're thinking _Taronga Zoo_, if we can be bothered getting across the water to it" Bella explained lightly to the couple who had plans of their own. "What about you two?"

Lewis smiled proudly, raising his wife's hand to his lips as he pressed a gentle kiss to the outer side of her hand. "Well, _I_ am treating my wife to a _Lindt_ lunch today."

"Oh come on! Between you and Zane, is Sydney the new '_city of love'_ or something?! Why didn't anybody send me the memo to bring a guy if I wanted all stops to be pulled out with being pampered?!" Bella declared disgustedly, in a light-hearted whine of jealousy regarding her fellow female companions.

"The most romantic gesture I've had so far this trip was our taxi guy telling me that he would be a gentlemen and put my suitcase in the boot! Sign me up for every single one of those pathetic matchmaking reality TV shows right this minute!"

While Cleo burst into a fit of laughter at one of her best friend's dramatic antics, she wasn't about to admit the fact that she was thinking that she would _definitely_ prefer to be in her position, compared to being in Bella's.

Life was good. A romantic lunch date for two is always welcome. A holiday is always a mood lifter. Plus, in comparison to the last few days of bringing an illness on holiday with her, she was feeling a whole world better.

* * *

What is that saying about speaking too soon? Touch wood? Any of the above.

By the time Cleo and Lewis had decided to walk it to the Cockle Bay Wharf _Lindt Cafe_ to absorb the Sydney atmosphere and sun, Cleo could feel the beginning sensations that she had been getting to, knowing that the feeling was just warming up and getting started.

Each step was an effort that made her feel helplessly woozier, seedier and more light-headed.

Lewis, had been in front, holding his wife's hand as he led her up the steps and passed a few other fine-dining restaurants, bars and cafes, before the two reached their destination right in the rounded corner of the half-circle shaped dining area which overlooked Darling Harbour. It was only as Lewis slowed to take in the scenery that he noticed Cleo's whitening facial tone, that had become familiar and a recognizable sign since the day before they had left for the holiday, while Cleo was packing.

"I'm not going to force-feed you food just because we had a date if you're not feeling a hundred percent. We can always take a raincheck and come back when you're feeling better, Cleo."

Cleo shook her head. She knew that if she were to return home to the hotel, sans-date when she knew how uncommon dates that her husband planned were, she would feel worse than she would having to sit through a romantic lunch date, feigning her enjoyment of rich and indulgent foods that she could barely stomach the thought of.

"No we'll stay. We've come all this way and what means the most is how you were the one to put the thought and effort into arranging it for us."

"Sure?"

Cleo confirmed her husband's hesitant question with a brief kiss, before squandering up all the effort she could to lead him into to the cafe and their reserved seats opposite each other.

"So where did you find out about this place?" Cleo questioned, looking intently at Lewis. She tried to distract herself and keep her focus as far as possible away from the glass display units, holding all the rich and decadent desserts she was trying to separate her mind from, along with the fresh, warm, chocolaty fragrances that lingered passed as they travelled through the room from the kitchen.

"Well you know how crazy I can get with research..." Lewis chuckled, remembering a few of the many times Cleo had declared he'd gone overboard with the extent of his research into anything... From the new restaurant opening down the road, to what sort of fishing lure's were available internationally.

She shouldn't have been surprised, but for some reason Cleo just wasn't quite feeling the same, or on the top of her game.

"So what are you going to order, milady?"

The question she'd been dreading. She could barely consider food for longer than a grimacing second, so the thought of having to choose something in particular, requiring thought, focus and opinion on food was an impossible task.

"I've liked the whole spontaneity and surprise element of this date... You can choose something you think I'll like and surprise me!" Cleo suggested, pulling all her strength that she could muster up together to produce an enthusiastic smile for her husband.

After pressing a kiss to the exposed side of her hand, as her palm's were rested on the clean surface, Lewis got up to examine the displays and make a consecutive decision based on what he saw.

His distraction was just what she needed to keep up the facade of appearing to feel way better than what she did, with a chance for the relief she needed. Pulling her black handbag that she'd been nursing all day onto her lap, Cleo searched purposefully for the long, thin rectangle box she knew was within her bag. Finally finding and clutching the packet she quickly extracted one of the two packets within, pressing down with just enough force to release two of the Panadol Forte tablets into the palm of her hand, quickly transferring them to her mouth and managing to swallow the pills without the risk of requiring water.

Within a few minutes, Lewis returned to the table, looking as proud as punch with himself, clearly confident in the decisions he had made regarding their order.

"Thanks again for organizing this, hun" Cleo smiled, with a greater ease of genuine feeling as she leant over with her body language clearly directing him to join her halfway as she leant marginally across the table, as their lips met in a public display of affection,suitable for their romantic little date.

* * *

After a full day of strolling around Sydney Harbour, followed by a trip over to _Taronga Zoo_, it was safe to say that Allie was beyond tired.

The overtired four-year-old had crashed in father's arms before they had even boarded the ferry to head back to Circular Quay, where she stayed for the trip back across, through the Harbour again, the CBD and along George Street to the group's accommodation.

Hurrying ahead of the father and daughter as they exited the hotel's elevator, leading to all of the consecutive rooms that the group booked, Bella rushed to open the door for Will, to enable him to carry Allie through easier, holding the door for him as he did.

"Thanks for carrying her, Will. You've probably lost all feeling in your arm and shoulder by now... I know what a dead-weight she is to carry!"

"It's all good. What else do you think I go to the gym for?!" Will joked as he carried Allie over to the king-sized bed she temporarily shared with her mother.

When the group had joined forces to choose and book accommodation for their trip, Bella and Will made the logically cheaper decision to split the cost and hire a room together. After looking into options, they discovered that it would cost Will double the amount sharing would result in, to get a room of the exact same size that Bella and Allie would be sharing, that even had more than enough room for the two of them.

Opening the bed sheets with one hand difficultly, Will lowered his daughter from his body to the mattress, doing so gently and slowly to ease her into the new environment she was being moved into, to avoid her waking.

After having dumped her handbag in a corner of the room, Bella pulled out a few essentials –phone and water bottle-, before joining the other two in the vicinity of the bed, to ensure that her daughter hadn't woken up in the transition from chest-to-mattress.

Bella smiled from her view of Allie, roughly a metre away from the settled sleeper, who didn't even move a muscle as Will tucked a few locks of her unruly hair behind her ear and pressed a gentle kiss to her small temple, before stepping away.

"She is so damn beautiful when she sleeps" Bella grinned, transfixed on her daughter. Ever since Allie was a newborn, Bella would find herself spending more time than she ever intended to on just standing there and watching her sleep.

Both parent's attention was caught on the same thing, before Will took another step away from the bed after announcing that watching Allie sleep had inspired him to sleep too.

"Night. Thanks again for your help with her."

After a hug goodnight, there was only a brief look, a flicker, but it was a mutual and wordless message, which both parties tried to encrypt... A message that might very well change things as they stood there sharing a smile and certain signals.

After the small flicker and the brief spark had been lit, or in this case, reignited, the attraction was seemingly almost magnetic.

It seemed that Will was a few steps ahead, literally and figuratively as he slowly moved forward slightly, but nonetheless closing the gap to a comfortable, but far more intimate distance closer to Bella.

A few moments of comfortable silence pased, neither of them moving and neither of them saying anything before Will bit the bullet, slowly but surely craning his head lower, oh-so slowly. It was clear to both of them what would come next, for the first time in a very long time, but before Will's lips met Bella's there was another movement that came first.

Beneath the closing gap of Will's head, Bella shook her own head slowly, but clearly to extinguish the flames of the friendly fire that had been ignited within the last few moments.

"Sorry..." Will whispered as he retracted his head to normal level, as though nothing was about to happen.

Bella shook her head quickly and Will could sense she was nervous, diverting to one of her moods where she was going to start over-talking pretty soon, when she didn't know what to do or what refined words to say."No, don't be sorry. I reciprocated the signals, I just froze."

"There's actually something I've been thinking about talking to you about recently. Of course, I shouldn't have gone about it that way though!"

"What?..." Bella asked warily, almost looking a little petrified as to not knowing what exactly was going to be coming out of her ex's mouth next.

Leaning against the chair that the two had unknowingly and subconsciously walked closer and closer to, Will let out a brief exhale, looking down to the ground before his gaze returned back to Bella's blue eyes.

"I'm just putting this out there, but if you think otherwise just forget what I say and let's just act like I said nothing at all, okay?"

Bella nodded enthusiastically, so as to tell Will to continue with what he had to say, but really, she was more curious than ever by what he did actually have to say, regardless of whether she would reciprocate his opinion or suggestion, whatever it was, or not.

"I think we should give you and me another shot, Bells."

"What? Where did that come from?" Bella questioned, taking a small step back from the impact of the statement hitting her, as she thought up at least twenty-five other shocking statements that she would be less shocked about.

Will shrugged, taking a moment to consider the origin of his thoughts that to his knowledge had just been a seed in the back of his mind that was slowly growing bigger and bigger in recent times.

"I don't know what exactly _triggered_ it, but while we've been here, we've almost been acting and functioning like a family, I guess... And that's been really nice. Then that sort of got me thinking of what a good place we are in with Allie now and how much that's paid off for working on establishing that for the past few years. But maybe it's time to focus on you and me for a change..."

It was all true.

Without even realizing it, they _had_ been acting like and interacting unintentionally as though they were a completely functional, happy couple with a child. And it _was_ nice.

They were in a really, really good place both in terms of balancing responsibilities and caring for Allie, with them splitting the load almost half, but more than that, both parent would say that their personal relationships were going well with their daughter. Allie was close to Bella, just as Allie was also close to Will. Not to mention the half-week change in residence was not something that fazed the carefree and sociable little girl who liked the variety of people she would live with.

The time and hard work that they had both poured into raising their daughter and reaching comfortable mediums really had paid off for a harmonious system between the three.

The only factor that Bella was unsure about regarding what Will had said was whether it was 'their' turn to be focused on... Whether they should even try to develop their own relationship again... Whether it would even work...

"I don't know Will... You and I are in such a good and completely comfortable position with working together for Allie that I'm a bit worried that trying anything _more_ than that will tip things over. Especially if it doesn't work out...again."

Neither of them had really realized that they had slowly been nearing each other closer and closer, until they were directly in front of one another, more or less breathing down each other's necks, speaking in a whispered tone for more reasons than one.

"But you won't know if we don't try, right? Life's too short."

* * *

**So, thoughts? Anyone think Zane and Rikki will _ever_ get married at this stage? Hope you guys enjoyed the bit of Clewis fluff - much more fun than sad GBS stuff, but all good things have to come to an end. And what is everyone hoping will be the result of Will's suggestion? **

**Keep the reviews coming... I'll update the second I get to 25 reviews... Well not quite, but you know what I mean haha. **

**Next chapter: As the girls enjoy a night of drinking and partying away from the boys, secrets slip out. Also, Bella gives a Will an answer.**


	4. Girl's Night Out

**Wow guys! You totally surpassed my expectations - thanks! I had no idea I'd get to the number of reviews so quickly!**

**Enjoy the 'girls night out'... I wrote this chapter months and months ago, yet coincidentally, a big group of friends and I are ditching the boys for our own girls night out tomorrow and the day after! That's assuming I'll survive my most boring class and a work shift before that tomorrow haha. Three guesses what will make tomorrow better for me until the evening...? Reviews!**

**Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this new update! **

* * *

**Chapter Four – Girls Night Out**

"Have fun" Lewis requested with a smile as he pressed a kiss to the cheek of one of three giggling girls who hovered around the doorway, more than ready to leave.

In celebration of Rikki's recent engagement, the girls had decided to seize the event and the holiday as an excuse to party and celebrate. Consequently, they organized a night out on the town in the bright lights, and right in the middle of the big city.

Stepping away from the other two girls, Bella crouched down with ease, despite her six centimetre stilettos to shrink to the height of the little girl who was standing in front of her father, with his hand on her small shoulder.

"Bye sweetheart. Make sure that you are a good girl for daddy, and don't grumble or ask to stay up when he tells you to go to bed, okay? I'll be home soon."

Pyjama-clad Allie nodded to her mother, distractedly, outstretching her hand to grasp one of the extremely large, shiny, metallic earrings that was like a magpie-to-metal for the little girl.

"Okay, mummy. You look very beautiful" Allie replied, evidently an expert on how far flattery can get you amid her mother's warnings. Despite the discipline, the younger girl was far more focused on Bella's glammed-up appearance, as she went from touching her earrings to brush her finger on the bright fuchsia matte lipstick on her mother's lips than what she was saying to her.

"She does, doesn't she?" Will added, joining the conversation uninvited, but receiving a big nod in affirmation from the younger of the two other girls who was still mesmerised by her mother's appearance.

"Aww, thank you, you two," Bella beamed especially from the little girl's genuine comment. She knew the honesty of children and she knew that any young kid would not say something they didn't mean, just for the sake of saying it.

Opening her arms to her child who instinctively moved into them, the parting mother and daughter shared an embrace for a few moments, while their surrounding friends were more distracted by their own cares. Zane and Rikki acted every inch the loved-up couple they were, enjoying the glow of their recent engagement. Cleo and Lewis just seemed dedicated to their conversation, independent from everyone other than themselves.

Despite being caught up with their own distractions and own focuses, it was as if there was a sensor alerting the other two girl's to the moment that Bella and Allie separated from the hug, reminding them that they should be leaving.

"I'll see you tonight" Cleo reminded, as if there was any option _other_ than returning to their hotel room, where the two would eventually make their ways back to at different points in the night.

With a final brief kiss, Cleo and Lewis easily parted, while Zane and Rikki lingered in the very out of character and gushy embrace. The difference in departures allowed absolutely anybody to have the ability to distinguish the couple that had been married for a few years, compared to the one still thriving on the new and exciting event of their recent engagement.

Cleo backed away and slowly moved further and further away from the hotel room doorway to indicate to her friends that she was ready to leave and that their goodbyes were taking far too long.

Bella caught a glimpse of Cleo's body language, blowing a final kiss to her daughter, before directing her final warning to those adults that wouldn't be joining them for a night out.

"Be good, boys! Remember, you're looking after Miss _Innocence_ and her little ears tonight. Keep it clean!"

Zane was the first to pipe up about addressing the overprotective mother's concerns.

"Calm your farm. We've got a pretty risqué night of playing '_Snakes and Ladders'_ planned. Then, if the kid falls asleep during the '_Dora the Explorer'_ marathon, we _might_ allow things to get a little less G rated, as long as that's okay with you, of course."

Bella laughed at the reply she received, as she followed Rikki and Cleo's lead out of the hotel room, closer and closer to the night of fun that lay ahead for the three of them...

* * *

_Zeta Bar_, George Street, Sydney

Purchasing and carrying their drink of choice away from the bar, Rikki joined the arm-latching that Cleo and Bella had initiated.

As they made their way across the room and found a corner for them to claim as their own table for the time being, Bella was giggly before she had even taken one sip of her own alcoholic beverage.

"I love saying '_Pickled Tink'_! It makes me feel like I'm already tipsy!" Bella commented on the beverage sloshing around in the glass as she carried it with a lack of care.

Rikki simply laughed at her friend as they each took seats that allowed them to enjoy the atmosphere of the bar and converse in private conversations until they felt a little wilder later on as the night warmed up. Placing her phone, along with the glass, that held her _Vampires Kiss_ next to the pink glass of Bella's drink and Cleo's mocktail, Rikki got comfortable for a moment before her phone began to spasmodically vibrate and illuminate clearly in the dark room.

"Ooh. It's Zane. Better answer it. I'll be right back!"

Just like that, Rikki and her phone were gone within the one phone call which she left to answer outside in the quieter environment than there inside the bar where you practically needed to shout before anyone else was able to hear you.

"I miss those days. They don't last long enough!" Cleo laughed, watching the blonde's eager path out the main exit, leaving for goodness knows how long, until either her or her fiancé could bear to be able to hang up.

Bella nodded with a laugh, the two being able to see clearly through the facade of love, that Rikki and Zane were currently barrelling through head-first, masked with the rose-coloured glasses.

The conversation slowly died down to a silence that was anything but awkward between the two girls. Instead, both reverted their focus back to the energy of the room and the club atmosphere, while they took the occasional sip of their drinks or when they'd make eye-contact, would share a smile to signify their mutual enjoyment.

However, there was just something small, a little niggle that caught Bella's attention, something that struck her as familiar which she could identify with and the more time that passed, the more certain she became.

"So what's with the mocktail, Cleo? You are over 18 aren't you?!" Bella joked with a laugh, while her friend looked down to the beverage, unimpressed, before returning her gaze to make eye-contact.

"It's a pretty exciting drink, hey?" Cleo grumbled sarcastically, sloshing the pale orangey coloured substance around carefully in the glass in a circular motion. "I haven't had the strongest stomach the last couple days, I guess. I didn't want to risk it by drinking alcohol if it's still too weak for it."

The excuse seemed legit and completely genuine, it definitely had a strong chance of being the reason, but with every sip of her own drink that was definitely _not_ non-alcoholic, the more that she convinced herself into feeling confident enough to pose the question that had been suspiciously in the back of her mind since the girls had all ordered their first round of celebratory drinks.

"Cleo? Are you pregnant?"

The look of surprise that Cleo was completely unable to filter or dilute from her pure-shock said it all.

"No!" was the first word that Cleo could eventually choke out.

"... Yes. How could you tell that?" Cleo quickly added admittedly, asking her friend curiously before her face dropped momentarily when she looked down to double check that her flat stomach was still as flat as she remembered it.

"Congratulations!" Bella squealed, sweeping her friend up in a hug.

As if her thoughts and registration of what she saw were on two very different channels, Bella reassured her friend over her fright from a minute or so ago as she worried she was already visibly pregnant.

"Oh don't stress. You're so not showing yet. How far are you anyway?"

The calm ease that Bella had managed to create for her friend in reassurance was shattered quickly as her question reminded Cleo of another major factor.

"I don't know...A month? ...Maybe two? I haven't worked that out yet. I only found out yesterday! And Lewis, don't say a thing. Not to _anyone_. I haven't found the perfect moment to tell him yet, and I know how badly he'll take it first-hand, let alone if he finds this out second-hand."

"No worries, Cleo. Just you focus on trying to find the right time to tell him. You're in good hands - I'm an expert on keeping baby-daddy's from knowing about said babies, remember?"

Bella had cracked the joke and added the tail end of her response for the primary reason of making fun of herself, yet Cleo was the one who laughed at the comment, distracting her from her distress.

"Thanks Bella... But what I want to know is how the heck could you tell I'm pregnant then?!" Cleo smiled, until her face moulded into surprise as she realized just what she had said, regarding her friend's spookily correct prediction.

"Your drink" Bella simply stated, gesturing down to the non-alcoholic substance which her friend was still holding, despite having barely taken more than a few sips of the drink she was completely unenthused by.

"Well, sure, the fact that you ordered something non-alcoholic is a big tip off, but it was the way that you were staring at it. I know that look, when mocktails are the _last_ thing that you want, or feel like drinking, but you just do it anyway. I recognize that feeling of being torn between your head and your heart. It's like injections. You don't like it, at all, but you just do it because you know it's for the best."

Cleo still appeared completely astounded and stunned by her friend's accuracy in so clearly and accurately identifying her feelings, as well as the source of it as well.

"Well, mind reader, can you tell me if I have reason to worry about something or not? I've been freaking out a bit because when I was feeling up for a drink, I had been guzzling alcohol like it is water before I realized _this_. Did you ever get drunk unintentionally when you were pregnant? Should I be worried-" Cleo looked her friend deep into her eye with worry, before dropping the volume of her voice to whisper the three final words as if they bore a covert top secret. "...About the baby?"

Bella flicked her hand away in such a carefree manner that it could be easily associated with a far, far less important topic of conversation.

"Nah, Cleo. Don't stress. I was so freaked out about the same thing as you. But, I'm absolutely sure that baby is fine. I didn't know it at the time, but since my pregnancy overlapped with breaking up with Will, I had a few weekends where I didn't spend much time sober. Heck, I think I accidentally spent three months _too_ _long_, drinking _too much_ and Allie still came out fine! I think it's probably just an Old Wives Tale or low risk precaution..."

While Bella was prepared with at least a dozen more statistics that my might ease the mother-to-be who struggled with paranoid tendencies, Bella zipped her mouth on the subject after noting the blonde who had walked back into the large, noisy and crowded room, looking for the table that she had left around twenty minutes earlier.

It was immediately notable that Rikki looked completely less enthralled by her fiancé than she did when she had exited the room earlier in the night as she returned to the seat with her two closest friends.

"Don't get me wrong. I love Zane. However, I really cannot see a wedding coming together at this rate. And if it does, the nuptials are going to happen in two different continents and two very different times of the year. We have not made _one_ mutual decision, which we both agree on, since deciding to get married! Doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose?!"

"At least Zane has an opinion, Rikki!" Cleo laughed, recalling her wedding planning from years earlier. "Wedding planning with Lewis consisted of his three favourite sayings... '_You choose'_, '_I'm_ _happy if you're happy_' or '_I'll go along with whatever you decide'_."

Rikki rolled her eyes. "At this stage, I'm seriously considering trading Zane in for an opinion-less puppet! Brainstorming and just verbalizing our ideas for it is hard enough! Locking in decisions is going to be completely _unbearable_..."

"Boys... gotta love them. Can't live them, and you can't shoot them!" Bella exclaimed, with just as much frustration as Rikki and Cleo.

Out of curiosity, Rikki questioned the comment that seemed out of character after coming from a single woman. "Which boy's got you so worked up?"

"Will... Last night he put the possibility of a relationship out there again."

"And?!" Rikki and Cleo quickly questioned, appearing to be bursting at the same seams, for the answer and resolution as to how this story was going to end.

"I told him I'd think about it..." Bella replied sheepishly, hiding away from the spotlight of attention as she paid more attention to her drink than what she had all night. "I'm just trying to think of the nicest way to say no."

The blonde's two completely different friend's obviously shared a like-mind as they looked at each other, exchanging a look and requiring no words to know they were on the same train of thought.

"You'll think about it? You seriously told him _that_?! You two are almost already like a couple again, Bella!" Rikki lectured with a sincere seriousness over the matter.

Bella's head darted up from her drink out of shock. It wasn't that Bella was surprised that Rikki was all for Will's idea, given the fact that it would mean a hook up between two of her closest friends, which was something that she had made no secret of wanting. However, after hearing the last comment that her friend made was what had Bella shell-shocked.

"I have to agree with Rikki there, Bella..." Cleo said cautiously, intervening with a response that Bella was expecting to receive from the other girl more. "You should listen to and see the way that you and Will talk about each other and act around one another. If I didn't know better and if you just added a few kisses in there, I wouldn't know whether you were a couple or just friends..."

"Exactly! At first whenever the two of you would talk about each other it would always be '_Will and I'_ or ' _me and Bella'_, very formal, but just recently, it's been turning into '_us's_ and _we's'_... Not to mention blind Freddy can see all the intimate little moments you two have" Rikki added to Bella who just sat there absorbing the information that both of her friends were feeding her, even though she wouldn't have minded going without knowing it.

Even after both of her friends stated their cases against her, awaiting her defensive comments in reply, the woman who never struggled with what to say didn't know _what_ to say and simply sat there trying to process the words with her feelings and priorities. If Bella could be rendered speechless, then there truly can be a first time for everything.

"Oh I don't know! We are in such an awesome place with balancing any awkwardness, while making sure that Allie's our number one priority! We've just spent years working and trying so hard to de-relationship and detach ourselves from any awkward moments between us as exes in order to focus Allie. That's been working so well!"

"But you still have feelings for Will, don't you?" Rikki asked softer, with more sensitivity than her earlier drilling as she had tried to labour the point of a romantic reunion between the former lovers.

"I think I will always have _some_ degree of feelings for him, but a relationship isn't the focus or the most important thing. _Our_ feelings have to be pushed to the side. Allie's at an age where she'd been more alert and unsettled if we did try and fail. Besides, I feel like I've developed such a good friendship with Will that if we got together and broke up again, it would be like losing a best friend."

"Normally, Bella, I would completely understand and side with what you are saying. I'm all for security and not stirring the pot if things are good. But, really, life is way, way too short. That's what the Guillain-Barré made me realize when I worried that I was going to lose Lewis. In a way, life is too short to even be sensible and safe, when there is the potential that the alternative is more than worth it..."

* * *

"Have a good night?" Will asked as he scooped Allie off the lounge, in order to return her to her bed with such an ease - despite the young girl's dangling arms, legs and hair that had succumb to sleep and care. Despite both of her parent's belief that her routine would be uninterrupted by the boys night hosted in Will and Bella's shared hotel room, Will and the other boys quickly learnt that each and every time she was put in bed and told to sleep, she was going to keep boomeranging back out to her father, announcing that she couldn't sleep, but that she wanted to be with him and the other boys instead.

On the other side of the room, Bella was kicking off her stilettos, cursing the decision that she had made at the beginning of the night, as the aches and blisters shone through. Despite any amount of alcohol that had been consumed over the evening that may have numbed the pain, her sore feet won out.

"Yeah it was really lovely. It was lots of fun chatting and dancing and drinking, you know...All the good stuff."

Will nodded in understanding. "Glad to hear it. Despite the dampener of us having to conform to having a 'G-rated' audience member with us for most of the night, our boy's night went off reasonably well too."

Hobbling across the room from her painful feet, Bella laughed at Will's comment through the pain of grimacing with each step that she took, before collapsing on the lounge with a sigh of relief.

"Do you need a foot massage, softy?!" Will joked teasingly as he joined her on the lounge which was all that his own tired body could manage and carry him to at this time of night. Well, morning.

It was only a small thing. A small gesture and small joke. However, Bella knew that as much as he was using it as a joke, she knew Will well enough to know that he wouldn't hesitate massaging her sweaty, blistered soles that few people would dare to touch on another person. It was just Will, the person he was and it was a reminder of one of the many qualities that she had fallen in love with in the man in the first place.

"You do realize it's all or nothing, don't you?"

"What?" Will asked with a half-laugh, feeling a little stunned and confused, as though he had missed a piece of the conversation that he was half of. He couldn't be blamed though, considering that Bella not only didn't answer the question he had been expecting an answer to, but also changed the topic with no warning at all.

The a-little- too-intoxicated Bella took a deep breath, preparing to get the long winded explanation out, with all the run-on-sentences you could imagine. Even Will knew what he had to be preparing his ears for at the breath far deeper than any normal one.

"If we gave us and a relationship a second shot, you do know that it's an all or nothing sort of thing, right? Even when it's not so rosy, you and I are going to have to force ourselves pretty hard to commit to each other and make a relationship work for Allie. There is absolutely no room for a casual relationship between you and I anymore because there is _nothing_ 'casual' about you and I sharing a daughter, when every decision you and I make will be decisions and outcomes that Allie will have to share too. If we work out, she'll reap the blessings of having a family, but if we don't then she'll have to experience what it's like to truly be a unified family, but then have that taken away from her. It's not just a bit of fun and mucking around. If you're just after a bit of no-strings fun, you've come to the wrong place. "

Bella concluded her speech with another deep breath. Her ability to breathe underwater had only ever improved her ability to talk non-stop, without taking a breath for several minutes at a time.

Meanwhile, Will tried to process and translate what Bella had said, as well as the prompt or message behind it.

"Wait. So do you mean that you _want_ to try again? You want to give us another go?"

"I think so... No, it's just going to end badly... Maybe... Oh forget it, yes I do" Bella replied, changing her mind every few seconds after a very bipolar moment amongst her head versus heart battle and indecision.

If it was thought that Bella was confused, Will was double that as he tried to keep up with his heart, both rising and falling amongst her own changes of opinion and heart.

Knowing that he had to either slow or stop the mind and mouth that was working in overdrive, Will took the hands of the babbling blonde that were flying here, there and everywhere as she spoke and took her hands into his own to try and calm her, or force her to stop.

"Bella. Calm down. Listen to me. From the bits and pieces I can gather that you are saying, I do know and completely understand what I'm getting myself into. I wouldn't want to risk ruining our friendship and balance we've got with Allie if I thought for even just a second that we weren't ready to try again or that I wasn't ready for 'all or nothing' or no in-betweens, I wouldn't consider risking it."

Bella seemed even more startled after listening to Will speak than she had when her decision changed back and forth undecidedly.

"But Allie-"

Will cut Bella off before she could think of any more excuses or possibilities that would outweigh and create anymore difficulty to the decision that the couple were discussing and impending to make a decision on.

"-But Allie will love her parents together, don't you think? She already loves it on the days that the three of us spend together so if it's like that even more, she'll be one happy kid. And if you're worried about us not working out, just remember if we've been managing well enough to work together and raise a kid, then don't you think keeping a relationship together will be a walk in the park? We've obviously got something pretty strong going for us if even after so many years we're being drawn back together..."

Will waited for the protest, the 'but', the 'what if' that he had no doubt that Bella was working on to verbalize her uncertainties, but a minute passed without one word.

"What? No objection?"

Bella hesitated, before slowly beginning to shake her head wordlessly for once.

"Good..." Will added, answering his own question that he had posed to Bella which she hadn't formed a reply for.

Releasing their hands from one another's, Will scooted closer to Bella on the lounge, closing the gap between them by slowly, ever so slowly, moving closer and closer to Bella, while she was already occupied with reclining herself a little further back horizontally on the lounge they were sharing.

"Slow. We have to take this _really_ slow" she whispered, the first words she could manage and the best attempt she could make at fighting the inevitable. However, it was too late and the inevitable was moving slowly but surely moving closer and closer to her... The inevitable that was pressing his lips against hers, gently, as they each savoured the moment for the first time in almost five years.

* * *

**So. So far, we have a baby on the way, a rekindled relationship and a pending marriage. Sydney's about to bring one more surprise into these character's life in next chapter. Any guesses? **

**I'm dying to hear all about your thoughts, feelings, good parts, bad parts, just absolutely anything that you can talk about in a review. I think I'll stick another chapter up when I get to 35 reviews - group effort guys, don't wait for others to pitch in! **

**Next chapter: Its the chapter of struggles as Zane struggles with motivating Rikki with wedding planning, Bella and Will struggle with concealing their relationship from Allie and Cleo struggles with telling Lewis about the baby. But before the chapter's over, one hell of a bombshell will be dropped...**


	5. From This Moment Forward

**Damn, I have the best reviewers. Ever. You guys way exceeded the number of reviews I thought I'd get, I'm under a week, too! What a lovely surprise, thank you! **

**On a side note, we start off in the beautiful Palm Beach and Boat House for this one. I miss that place, ugh. And the food, like seriously, if you ever get the chance to eat there, do it. I have eaten so many hot chips and fish before in my life over summer's, but these were hands-down the best I have eaten... ****I didn't get much sleep last night, so I**** must be tired to be raving on about chips. Anyway, excuse me!**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter Five – From This Moment Forward**

The newly engaged couple had decided the day before to take a trip out and go out for breakfast at the _Boat House_ at Palm Beach that Zane's aunty had drilled into him as a recommendation. Apparently it was _that_ spectacular that she would shun her nephew had he pass the border from New South Wales over into Queensland again without paying the place a visit.

So, there bright and early, Zane and Rikki found themselves sitting on the decking and waiting for their breakfast orders with the spectacular backdrop overlooking the Barrenjoey bay, pier and boats.

Zane had all of a sudden become a morning person as he breathed in the breezy fresh air, while across the table from him, Rikki was trying to subtly hide her hangover as she skulled morning-after beverages while hiding behind the largest pair of sunglasses she owned.

"Isn't it a beautiful day?" Zane mused optimistically and about as out of character he could get.

Rikki rolled her eyes, taking a few seconds to realize he wouldn't be able to see the action behind the dark of the sunglasses and since he was looking away from her. Instead, she added to her disagreement over his question with a scoff.

"It's too bright. It's too early. It's too breezy. It's too warm. Oh and we got up nice and early to waste the rest of our day arguing over wedding venue suggestions and looking at what engagement party invitations Sydney has to offer. Shall I go on?"

"Joy kill..." Zane muttered to himself. "Way to ruin the moment. Aren't we supposed to be enjoying this? All of this? Romantic breakfasts... Premium cafes... Planning our wedding..."

Rikki simply shrugged, turning her head away from Zane and into the direction of the shadiest part of the deck, away from as much light as possible.

"See? That" Zane added, gesturing to her position and body language facing away, but more so referring to her current lack of care. "I'm pretty sure you're supposed to care about our _wedding_!"

"I tried caring. But you cared too... on a very different wavelength to everything I cared about. We got absolutely nowhere. It's deflating."

Zane's once-off bright and chirpy attitude that he had began the day with quickly faded as he looked out to the view of the bay once again. Both sat in silence until a waitress came out just short of reaching a ten minute mark of since their last words to each other had been uttered, placing the plates of food in front of the two, setting a thought and idea into Zane's head in the mean time.

"What?" Rikki asked groggily, sounding annoyed as she noticed the light that flooded her fiancés face. She knew he got excited about food, but the look on his face was even a little too excessive for that.

A smirk spread across Zane's face as his distraction from what had crossed his mind subsided enough for him to snatch up his cutlery and hoe into his breakfast.

"I think I have an idea. Eat up. Get ready. I've got an idea, and if this works out, we've got a big day ahead of us."

* * *

"Good morning" Lewis greeted, pressing a kiss to his wife's hair as she snuggled a little closer to his bare chest.

"Do you need me to shut the curtains for you after your big night last night?" the blonde added as a joke, referring to the window furnishings that he had opened upon waking up hours ago, before deciding to go back to bed until Cleo woke.

Beside Lewis, Cleo shook her head proudly.

"No you do not! I'm clean and completely sober. Not a single drop of alcohol for me last night. Be proud!"

Lewis laughed. While Cleo was making it out to be some massive feat, he knew that all she would only ever have would be one, or two at the max, drinks at any time, no matter the occasion.

"You continue to surprise me, woman! What? Is it 'Dry July' or something?!"

"No..." Cleo smiled, her mind beginning to trail off onto another path that she knew that she could lead the conversation on, before a sense of fear from the unknown kicked in and she hesitantly strayed from that subject for the time being.

The couple cuddled and snuggled in silence for a while, enjoying the relaxed morning in bed compared to some of their early starts and late nights to make the most of every minute of the group's holiday.

Lewis positively felt as though he was floating around in heaven, while Cleo's head that was resting on her husband's chest was holding her back a little bit with the weight of the secret that she carried in the back of her mind uncomfortably.

"Lewis? Are you in a good mood?"

Lewis laughed, wondering if the obscure query was a trick question, when he had assumed that Cleo was just as happy as he was lying there in the present stress-free, relaxed and idyllic moment.

"Uh... Yeah I am... Reasonably. Why?" Lewis responded hesitantly, feeling a combination of confused and concerned as to what his answer to the highly unusual question was going to prompt.

Cleo let out a short but sharp exhaled blow of air, trying to gather the courage to get the words out that seemed almost impossible to say to the person she was closest to out of any other person in the world, and the man she had loved more than she had loved any other person.

"Good. I think. I figure it's probably good that you're in the best frame of mind and as comfortable as possible. Oh gosh, maybe not. You would know what the chances are of it being so or not. Maybe it's just going to bring your mood down and you'll hate me and this even more-" Cleo blabbed, sharing her concerns verbally as she avoided saying what Lewis was becoming more and more puzzled over as every minute passed.

"Cleo? Can you just tell me what's going on? Leave the theorizing to me. But at this rate, I might hate you if you _don't_ explain before I lose my mind wondering."

Despite her previous longwinded explanations of her fears, when it came to the crunch, Cleo proved herself efficient, spitting a question out almost as soon as Lewis told her to.

"What do you think about us having a baby?"

Lewis gave another funny look. He had no idea where his wife's weird questions were coming from, especially the latest one, unless she had been struck with a form of amnesia or selective memory loss. The question and the topic was no strange concept to the couple. He'd lost count the number of times they had ever talked about kids or their plans for the future... Be it how many pets they'd have or children's name for their ideal plan of having two sons and a daughter in time.

Fortunately, with her view of the rest of the room from resting her head on her husband's chest and ribcage area, Cleo was unable to see Lewis's funny look. Had she seen the look, it had a very likely chance of hindering her from releasing her hold on the rest of the question.

"... In like 7 or 8 months time?"

It did not take a genius, or in this case, a scientist to do the math on what Cleo was trying to delicately allude to, in contrast to and by referring to the normal 9 month gestational period of humans.

However, for a genius, Lewis was struck dumb. Completely. Was a pregnancy five months? Nine months? Twelve months? What exactly was Cleo saying? Did she _want_ a baby _soon_, or would there _be_ a baby soon?

All common sense, all intelligence and IQ flew out of the window with Cleo's last question as Lewis remained silent for way too long.

"Lewis?" Cleo prompted softly, losing her confidence and control of her screwed-up hormones that were fighting to dominate in the moment.

"Sorry. Like, do you mean you're pregnant, Cleo?"

Cleo nodded at the question, not speaking in fear that she would burst into tears. She was too distraught to even move from her position, while she wished that the bed would swallow her up right that second and teleport her to anywhere but there in that moment.

The answer sunk in as Lewis's understanding of what she was saying set in.

"We're having a baby?! Us, Cleo... You and me?!"

He sprung into action and excitement, quickly bolting up in bed, pulling along with him his wife. He threw his arms around her even more as the two sat up in bed, in an embrace with bed sheets flying and tangling everywhere from the sudden and erratic movements.

"You're okay with it?" Cleo confirmed, feeling her heart melt just a little as she witnessed the proud beam on Lewis's lips as he nodded at her question.

"Of course, Cleo. This is amazing news. I completely wasn't expecting it, but I'm more than happy! I'm pumped! You know I've always wanted kids and when I was hospitalized with Guillain Barré, when I barely knew anything about what I had, that was my one big fear... that we'd never be able to have kids."

Cleo just smiled. That's all she felt as though she could muster up in the present moment, feeling joyously overwhelmed. She had thought up close to five hundred different ways that Lewis could react badly to her news, but then again her negativity was her fault she realized; her fault for forgetting who her husband is and the sort of man that she had married.

"I love you Lewis" Cleo said as she finally brought herself to speak again from the silence the couple were enjoying in the exciting moment and tight embrace with each other as Lewis slowly held her tighter and tighter, and closer and closer.

"I love you too. So, very much, Cleo... I always have."

Lewis pressed a kiss to the very top of the brunette locks that were conveniently placed directly in front of his head. Cleo's confidence (or hormones) must have been on the increase as she rolled over from her position against him, turning over from her new position, arms rested on him as she lay on her occupied stomach to enable her to be able to kiss her husband from their embrace as deeply and as lovingly as she could.

* * *

Two whispers and a familiar giggle did the trick to awaken Bella from her slumber, from across the other end of the open-area hotel room.

Bella sat up in bed to catch a hazy glimpse and see the two generating the noises that had been intended to be quiet, yet were loud enough to wake her.

"What are you two conspiring over there?" Bella questioned as she tried to work out what exactly was going on. Across the room, Will was sitting sans-shirt as Allie circled him around the chair, stopping for a moment and appearing to focus intently for a few seconds before continuing to a different position somewhere else near Will and the chair.

Dragging herself out of bed, she found an answer to her unanswered questions as she neared the father and daughter.

Getting closer, she realized that Allie was carrying around a handful of textas with her, along with the odd pencil or butterfly sticker. The few she carried were taken from a whole array and collection that were sprawled out over the table.

Bella had heard of living art before, using people as the subject of art pieces... However, never before had she come across the concept of using the _person_ as the canvas. That was just what Allie was doing to Will.

The young father's shoulders and arms were crowded with clusters of butterfly stickers, while his bare abdomen had a few scrawls of texta, especially of the pink and purple variety, near his belly button and a few scribbles around his chest. The artist was now concentrating on decorating her father's back with what appeared to be a four-year-olds version of a rainbow, a flower, a love heart and a group of stick figures.

"So is paper too mainstream for you two now or something?"

"Hi mummy... Doesn't daddy look beautiful now?!" the tot proudly declared upon noticing her mother's presence.

Bella laughed at her daughter's complete and total oblivious innocence.

"He does!" Bella agreed with an amusement Will was clearly unimpressed with, just as she ruffled the man's hair who was at the perfect level to reach from his shortened height on the seat. "You've made him look very pretty now, A. I think he should go and flaunt it off at the beach."

The younger girl agreed with a serious nod, before returning her concentration to putting in the best effort she could as she drew on her dad.

The three continued on separately, with Bella rustling through the fridge for something to jump out of her as the perfect option to settle her hunger. Will continued sitting patiently until his daughter was content with her artwork. And meanwhile, Allie was proving herself to be quite the little Picasso and quite a perfectionist by trying to get the swirls she was drawing in perfect colour-coordination with the nearby squiggly lines.

"Did you feed her this morning?" Bella asked the other adult, just ensuring that he hadn't forgotten one of the fundamental parenting basics and that their daughter wasn't going around on an empty stomach.

Will nodded at the question, while trying to move as little as possible to risk the wrath of Allie. Surprisingly, it was her who seemed to completely forget about the task at hand as she let out a little gasp, before clapping both hands over her mouth as though to stop something falling out.

At the little girl's unanticipated action, Will simply laughed as though he knew exactly what had prompted it, while Bella didn't think she could get any more confused if she tried.

"What's going on?"

"I couldn't find much for us to eat in here and didn't want to make too much noise while you were sleeping, so I took Allie out for a nice breakfast. As a joke, I told her not to say anything to you because you'd be jealous... I just love how kids blow it out of proportion and treat it like it's the sacred secret!"

Bella laughed a little at what Allie had deemed so secretive. It was a relief that, while unlikely, as a mother she couldn't help but fear that Allie's secrecy had surrounded the fact that Will had accidentally fed her off-milk or shampoo or something stupid like that and told their daughter not to tell her mother.

Allie became distracted from decorating Will after announcing to her parent's that her puppy, elephant and tiger were waking up, as she scurried off to greet her stuffed-animal friends.

"Sit down, I want to show you something" Will whispered to Bella, while keeping an eye on Allie while she slowly removed the bed sheets from her three toys, giving them a cuddle and talking to them about their dreams.

Bella fell for the trap. As soon as she sat down on the next closest seat which Will had gestured to, he immediately kissed her as fast as he could, for as long as he could before their daughter would decide to return to tattooing her father.

"Will!" Bella warned with a hiss after the first round of kissing use hadn't argued with, until she caught up to speed with the early-morning startling. "Allie will see us! She's right over there. I thought we weren't going to explain anything to her until we've smoothed it out a little!"

Will shrugged as though in that moment he couldn't care in the slightest as to what he had previously said. The temptation to make the most of the moment and seize the brief chance they had while their daughter was distracted was clearly the stronger pull.

As if by command, Allie came hurrying back over to her parents, proudly bringing her tiger, puppy and elephant toys over in a handful that she struggled with before she dropped them all beside her father's chair.

"They want to watch me make daddy pretty" she announced as she returned to selecting her textas and stickers for round two of the embellishment.

"Hear that Will? Apparently you need help to be made to look pretty" Bella giggled teasingly.

While the preschooler was preoccupied with her activity, Will again tried to subtly seize the moment of her inattention, grabbing Bella's nearby hand with a squeeze.

Bella appreciated the small display of affection, but her mind was short-circuited to the possibility of Allie noticing, raising questions and potentially becoming far more attached to the idea of her parent's newly rekindled relationship than she should be at this early stage.

"No Will" Bella whispered in a hushed, but firm tone as she separated their hands, but not with any ease. It was quite the role reversal for the couple. Five years ago, it would have been Bella pushing the envelope, seeing how far she could flirt with Will and how flirtatious she could be in inappropriate situations before he'd muster up the strength to tell her not to. Usually, it was Will who was the more conservative half of the couple.

"Not yet. Not here. Slow and steady, remember?"

* * *

While the group of friends who had travelled south together on the trip and had spent almost twenty-four hours a day with one another while they holidayed around the city together to hit every possible tourist attraction as a group, today had been a day where they'd begun to separate. Instead, they enjoyed the final day before returning home in smaller groups with either their partner's or as a dysfunctional family.

This was no different for Rikki and Zane who had hot-footed it down from Palm Beach early in the day, back through the Northern Beaches to hit the city again as they got as many plans in place to implement their spontaneous decision.

The two had been out all day and despite being beyond exhausted, there was an excitement and radiance that wasn't going to let their physical tiredness affect their excitement.

In a cluster of laughs and giggles and kisses and squeezes, Zane and Rikki slowly made their way through the lobby and up the elevator to eventually reach the destination of their hotel room.

Instead of proceeding into the room as he had every other time that he had reached the same door of his temporary residence, Zane continued inside a little differently today.

After a zap of the key card, the door opened to the couple's hotel room, where Zane used his foot as a door wedge while swiftly wrapping his arms around the waist of the petite blonde, pulling her into the air as he used a force of strength to lift her into his arms, conveniently and suitably, bridal-style.

"Congratulations Mrs. Bennett."

* * *

**Well, well, well... Who saw that one coming? Judging by the reviews that were left, no one guessed it amongst the other guesses so I hope I delivered with a good surprise guys! And what is every one's thoughts on the Zikki marriage? Was their impulsive decision to elope away from impossible wedding plans romantic, or reckless?**

**This marked the last chapter in Sydney... Chapter 6 everyone is back to the Gold Coast where reality is going to start hitting for the character's lives that are otherwise looking pretty rosy. Don't get too used to it. **

**On a side note. I'm not married nor engaged, so I have noooo idea what the marriage laws are here. I think you need to give 30/31 days notices, but I don't know if that applies for a registry-marriage. For the sake of this storyline, that notice is only applicable for ceremony weddings.**

**Lucky number 52 reviews for a new chapter! **

**Next chapter: Rikki and Zane reveal their news, while we get a brand new P.O.V!**


	6. The Wedding

**Thank you to all of my lovely reviewers and their wonderful words on my last chapter! I'm glad that most of you seemed to like the eloping idea as much as I did. Honestly, I tried to envision a wedding for Zikki originally for later in the story, but to me it just wasn't them. A reckless and spontaneous decision on the other hand, that seemed to fit the brief far more! **

**Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to let me know what you thought!**

* * *

**Chapter Six – The Wedding**

All good things come to an end...Unfortunately.

That was the truth and reality that all six of the adults were coming to a realization of in the conclusion and aftermath of the summer holiday interstate.

On the plane home each of the adults were all a little different to when they had left, just a week earlier.

Cleo and Lewis were now aware of what was growing in Cleo and how that little person who they guessed was not yet the size of a jellybean was going to change their lives forever.

Rikki and Zane had not only progressed from being one another's boyfriend and girlfriend, to becoming engaged, to now being husband and wife, still obliviously to their friends.

Meanwhile, Bella and Will were completely absorbed by the hope of their new relationship, hidden from their friends and their daughter.

In a way, Sydney had changed every single one of those people and by the time they reached the airport in Coolangatta again, their lives had changed from the people who boarded the plane at the same location a week earlier.

* * *

As the last hurrah to conclude their trip and to drop their bombshell, Rikki and Zane had coordinated and arranged a final group dinner at the classy _Salt_ _Grill,_ in Surfers Paradise for the evening that they returned home.

Despite everyone going their separate ways to discard their suitcases and luggage at their consecutive homes and to get dressed up again for dinner, the group all met up again within a few hours of seeing each other last.

While Tam, who had volunteered to stay in Queensland and housesit for the others since she didn't think she could afford the trip, had evidently stayed home from the group holiday, it was still a given that Rikki would invite her sister to the dinner where her and Zane were planning on announcing their bombshell to their nearest and dearest that instead of preparing to become Mr. & Mrs. Bennett, that that ship had actually already sailed...

As the group eventually filtered in to the fine dining restaurant, no one noticed that Zane's left hand remained in his pocket, or under the table for the majority of the time. Similarly, no one else made note of the fact that Rikki's would intentionally find its way affectionately behind Zane's back or clasped within her right hand, ensuring a certain addition to her first piece of jewellery was concealed.

As the evening truly began there was all sorts of questions and chatter. It ranged from Tam asking how the group's flights home had been, to Lewis lecturing Will for not chewing gum as he had recommended to him on the way down in between his grumbles over his blocked ears, to the girls comparing how far over the luggage weight limit they had gone due to their unrestrained and uncontrollable shopping habits.

The small talk and light-hearted conversation was driving Rikki up the wall. Her tongue began to feel as though it was burning, while it politely contained her news and her excitement that she could not wait to share.

Zane could feel and sense his wife's anticipation, agitation and rapidly fading patience. Her twitching and restless fidgeting was increasing, as was the frequency of her small and almost unnoticeable eye rolls. He could tell that she had almost reached her threshold and waited until she burst at the seams erratically.

"I love all of you, but you're a bunch of chatterboxes! Can you shut up just for a minute or even just long enough for Zane and I to tell you that we got married?!"

For a bundle of people that had just been accused of being un-relentless chatterboxes, not one person made a single noise or moved a single muscle. That was excluding Allie who examined the adults around her that seemed to have been instantaneously paused after they heard and processed the words that Rikki had dropped. One of the strangest parts of it was that it was said in the same manner as she would use to announce that she would be back in a few moments after a bathroom break.

Lewis was the first to break free of the stun induced by the announcement.

"Wow... Congratulations guys! When did that happen?"

"The day after us girls went out that night. Zane was 'inspired' by the idea over breakfast when went up to Palm Beach, so we raced back to the city. Then we were husband and wife in the registry office by five that afternoon!"

The was another small break of silence while it seemed as though the group were analysing and registering every piece of information that was still in the process of explaining the massive news that they had been told.

"So what made you elope?" Bella questioned intriguingly. "I love a good wedding!"

"Hey! What happened to me being best man?" Will fired in realization at Zane in particular.

"Don't go thinking I'm going to forgive you that easily, but tell us the details! Did you do anything special for the day then?!" Cleo asked equally desperate as she was inquisitive.

Just as Rikki had not-so subtly implied that her friend's would rarely stop talking for very long, they unknowingly proved her point once again in their curiosity.

"Well, we were getting absolutely nowhere with wedding planning and couldn't really think of any mediums or compromises of what we would both be happy with. It was sort of causing more trouble and disagreements than something as exciting planning our wedding should! Plus, I'm _sooo_ sorry Will, but we figured it was **our** day and it was more important for **us** to be happy."

Cleo nodded enthusiastically at the explanation that Rikki had given to her friends, before informing her that it hadn't been enough to suffice.

"More details! Did you get a wedding dress? Have you got pictures?!"

"We basically managed to get everything together in just over an hour around the Pitt Street Mall. I found a really simple but elegant white dress at _Zara_, we found a little Arcade to choose and buy our wedding bands, and fortunately I was having a good hair day, so I just got my makeup done at a little _Vani-T_ stall in the mall. Then we picked up a bunch of flowers from the first florist we saw and had dinner at the Opera House after we were married. It was absolutely perfect."

_Tam's POV: _

I couldn't escape the gushing that seemed to be coming from every direction around me.

The girl's squeals were too loud.

The boy's discussion was too painful.

The highly regarded and sought after aromas of the fine dining experience suddenly churned through my stomach with difficulty.

The distant and scattered noises of porcelain plates and silver cutlery being used or placed on the glass tables rippled through my ears like an echo.

The _Salt_ _Grill_ was becoming too salty for my liking as the salt of the tears clutching to my tear ducts and the corner of my eyes came closer and closer to freedom when they would release themselves on my cheeks.

However, despite the sensory overload that was becoming far more overwhelming with every passing moment, it was the pain and ache in my heart that hurt the most.

I knew that I wanted and needed to slip out of the room and escape the table, _fast. _I took the moment that Cleo and Bella were examining and comparing my sister's engagement ring with her wedding ring and when Zane seemed intent on answering whatever questions Will was grilling him while Lewis sat in amusement, to do so and flee.

As I escaped the inside of the restaurant, the emotions of everyone else's happiness and excitement counteracted by my personal sadness, it felt like I could almost feel some of the pressure blow away with fresh air of the beachside wind.

I could take the deep breath I really needed to inhale. I could let a crack through my infallible smile. I could release a hold on my expression and excitement that I had plastered on to conceal my true feelings with a faux happiness while I was all on my own, alone.

So I'd thought.

I hadn't heard the footsteps. I hadn't noticed that someone else had seen me slip out and I didn't know that somebody else had followed me outside. I didn't know until I heard the small whisper.

"Aunty Tam?"

"Allie. What are you doing out here hunnie? You better go back to your mum and dad before they notice you're missing."

The four year old didn't answer my question, nor did she obey my instruction. Instead, she tried to imitate the position that even I wasn't aware I was in, holding onto the pole that overlooked the beautiful Surfer's Paradise beach and even more distantly outstretched ocean as she tried to reach up to and clutch onto the handlebars that acted as a barrier from free-falling on the balcony.

"It was boring. I didn't know what was happening. Mummy and daddy were 'stracted and everyone was really happy. But you look sad."

"They're just talking about how Uncle Zane and Aunty Rikki got married."

I looked down to the far smaller blonde girl beside me as puzzlement swept across the expressive young girl's face.

"Married? But weddings make people happy in the movies! Except when the baddies want to stop a wedding" the preschooler paused, giving me an accusing look that I didn't even know was _possible_ for a girl of her age before she continued speaking. "Did _**you**_ want to marry Uncle Zane first?"

"No Allie..." I trailed off, unable to resist a laugh that had been completely induced by the four year old's innocence at a time that I didn't even think would be possible to laugh during. "Now come on. Let's get you back inside. Thanks for talking to me when you thought I was sad, sweetie."

"It's okay. But I just kinda wanted to look for a playground and then I saw you..."

I laughed at the unfiltered innocence of the child, before I picked her up to avoid any debate or running in the opposite direction from the restaurant we were en-route to re-entering.

"Come on, monkey. Let's get you back to those inattentive parents of yours."

I carried the little girl who I continued to forget was four now, realizing she was probably getting way too big and way too heavy to be carried around.

"Will, Bella! Buy a leash, would you? Your kid got bored and decided to take herself off on a walk."

As I startled the parents from the conversation that they were clearly too deeply engrossed in to even notice that their daughter was no longer by their side, I could have sworn that there was more to their jolt as I called their names from behind, after they hadn't seen us walk in. I could have sworn that there was a flicker of alarm in the look they shared, momentarily, in their surprise while they seemed to inch away from each other more nervously than normal, after having seemed to be sitting closer than normal.

Perhaps Rikki and Zane weren't the only ones hiding a secret (which just so happened to be also known as a marriage) from the trip.

I handed Allie back over to Will as he took over the role of disciplining her as subtly as possible in front of the group from where she stayed sitting on his lap, looking devastated that she was getting told off.

As I returned to my seat and to the group that I had left minutes earlier, I was reminded of my discomfort, my disgust at the others excitement and my hurt over the clear and blatant move that my sister had made with such an important milestone. All it did was once again distinguish just how little her family, how little _I_, meant to her when it came to the crunch.

In my seat, I realized that I had to thank Allie at some point and that I should sneak the girl a little chocolate Freddo frog one day to make it up to her. She was far easier to talk to outside and to distract me from my hurt at the announcement and she was far easier to genuinely smile at while I needed any and all inspiration to keep smiling... Keep pretending that I was happy, when I wasn't, and to keep pretending that I didn't care that once again I hadn't been included in my sister's life and in the most important day of Rikki's life.

However, something gave me the feeling that I was going to need more than a chat with a four year old and the entertainment that came with watching her or listening to what she had to say. I was going to need a lot more than that to be able to maintain my facade and get through the hell of a night.

* * *

******I was planning to expand on this chapter with a few flashbacks, but it just didn't happen. I've been really sick this week and I had no inspiration in the slightest to add to it ********so I figured I'd tackle the less is more approach. I didn't want to add stuff if it just wasn't going to work, but some flashbacks of that day in Sydney MAY happen later down the track in the story. **

******Ooh and Tam's first POV. What did you think? It felt a bit strange for me to write cause it was quite different to the resilient teenager I'd tried to portray. But, it's all essential for her own upcoming plot.**

******Anyway, let me know anything and everything that you would like to express to me about this chapter. 63 reviews for more. **

**Next chapter: It's a day of firsts for Will and Bella as they reach a monumental day in their daughter's life.**


	7. A Day Of Firsts

**Another update... less than a week since the last! Thank you so much for your lovely words on the last chapter as always. I have such lovely readers. **

**The consensus of the last chapter seemed to be that most people liked the way the announcement was made and that people are feeling sorry for poor Tam. Just like the beginning of her perspectives, it's just the start for her own secrets and her own storyline. ****  
**

**Enjoy the new chapter! :) **

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**Chapter Seven – A Day of Firsts**

_Bella's POV:_

The day had come. The moment of truth...

It wasn't separation anxiety. Well maybe a little. Leaving her was always _hard_, but never _impossible_, since Allie lived with Will half the week and with myself the other half? That's not to mention the fact that she'd been babysat by family and friends before too.

However, the beginning of kindergarten felt like a whole other world. A much, much scarier world, too...

Normal mothers and parents worry about their children entering the world of education, setting them up for their next thirteen years of primary and secondary schooling. The problem was that it seemed so unnatural and wrong to leave your son or daughter in the care of another person for up to seven or eight hours a day, in a class filled with 30 or so other children. It almost felt neglectful.

The range and quantity of questions regarding what should have been an easy transition felt endless.

Would Allie be bullied?

Could she stand up for herself?

Or would it be it even worse if _she_ was the bully?

Would she end up with nice teachers?

Was she being sent to the best Kindergarten to allow her and her skills to develop to the best of her ability?

These were all questions that I had no doubt that every 'normal' parent would consider and dwell on over at least a few sleepless nights of worry.

However, when your daughter's a _mermaid _too, that just really pushes any suppression of nerves over the edge.

The only reason I had allowed her (despite Will's instance that she was the sort of child who would thrive in an educational environment with other kids), was because of my faith in one of Lewis's more recent inventions... The '_Infallible Waterproof M4M Gel'_ that he had produced on his own, after over a year of research and experiments being tried and tested on each one of us girls many, many times (all the thorough testing had apparently been in the name of the '06 Dance Disaster' I had heard everything about). Over the period of a year, he had managed to perfect a formula that allowed all of us to undertake and participate in any part of life that had previously been prohibited. However, it was expensive and hard for him produce so it was really just used sparingly and not for day-to-day life.

The discussions of schooling, pre-schooling and homeschooling had felt like they had been a topic of discussion between Will and I for months and months. It had felt impossible to find a happy medium between Will's opinion of sending her to Kindy like any other four year old to normalize her life as much as possible while she was a mermaid, and my indignant view against even risking the danger of exposure from her innocence and all the other possible accidents in childcare.

In the end, Will, with Lewis's flashy invention had won out. He knew me too well and knew how to twist my feelings. He'd used his lack of normal schooling until his final year of high school and his own experiences of that to pull up all the negatives of home schooling until it forced me to say yes to enrolling Allie in Kindergarten.

* * *

"So are we ready to go Missy?"

The four year old who hadn't stopped grinning since I had woken her up this morning nodded enthusiastically, making it regrettably difficult for me as I tried to tie the hair band to the end of her golden, dark blonde locks as I finished plaiting her second piggy tail.

For Allie's first day of Kindergarten at least, Will and I had already planned to meet up and take her in together.

Normally, and every other day, she loved the share house. She loved her father and she loved our mutual friends. However, today was a very different matter.

From the backseat of the car, she had noticed that I hadn't been driving her the way that Will and I had both taken her to see her Kindy over the last few months and since her first pre-entry visit late last year. Knowing that she was being driven to the share house caused nothing but grief as she whined the entire way to our destination, saying that she just wanted me to take her to Kindy.

Sulking, as she walked up the driveway to the house with me, there was only the briefest waiting period before Allie's father and my secret boyfriend opened the door.

"Good morning girls" Will beamed as he opened the door, holding a big thermo flask of what I would assume was coffee.

What I didn't know was whether the smile was induced more from our presence, or from his gratitude towards the beverage at an hour that the former diver had become unaccustomed to waking in time for, since giving up waking at manically-early hours.

"Bella? What did you do with Allie?"

I rolled my eyes at the corny direction I could perceive the conversation being taken, for the sake of our child.

Waving her hand around from her position standing beside me, Allie evidently didn't look any more amused than she had throughout her annoyance on the drive just minutes earlier.

"I'm here, Daddy!"

"No... No you can't be!" Will exclaimed, goofily looking around and out passed us towards the front yard. "You're far too much of a big girl to be my little Allie!"

"But it _IS_ me, daddy!"

After Allie confirmed her father's completely feigned suspicions, she cracked a smile and even a little giggle as Will's facade faded. I watched as he proceeded to pick up Allie with his free arm and placed a kiss to her hair in one swift motion.

"I guess you're right. So are you already for your first day as a big kindy girl, sweetheart?"

My four-year-olds enthusiasm and excitement was undeniable. There was no hiding her proud, beaming smile as her golden braids bounced all over the place with her nod.

"I am! Are you coming to kindy with me and mummy?! I can show you my special kindy-girl _Frozen_ bag and my princess lunchbox!"

"Of course Allie" Will smiled with a nod at our little girl whose face lit up with even more excitement. "Now should we get this show on the road? You don't want to be late for your first day of Kindy, now, do you Madam?"

Without saying another word, Allie bolted to the car we had arrived in, far more excited than I was feeling at the prospect of what felt like sending my baby girl into the big bad world. Unfortunately, that moment was nearing closer and closer with every second that ticked on towards 9 AM...

* * *

Walking out of the childproofed doors of the Helensvale _Koala Kindy_ Kindergarten, I had to battle the sensation of sick-to-my-stomach nervousness over leaving my little girl (who hadn't even realized we were departing) in the care of total strangers.

Looking behind me, through the free space on the glass windows that didn't hold four year olds art and craft, I could see my daughter giggling happily as she appeared to be sharing stories and a few books with her 'best friend' who she had met barely five minutes ago.

Allie was fine. Being the little social butterfly she is, my daughter was completely in her element as she waltzed and danced around the room, revelling in other kids giggles.

Will was fine. The father of the girl we were leaving behind for a matter of hours didn't look any different or any less chilled than normal. If I didn't know better, you could easily mistake his apparent relaxed attitude walking out of the Kindergarten as walking out of a supermarket he had visited a thousand times before.

I however, was not so fine. Allie wasn't even a hundred metres away from me yet. Will and I hadn't even left the Kindergarten and yet, I could feel all the emotion and nervousness bubbling away inside of me, thinking of every scenario that could go wrong.

"Do you think we got enough pictures of her this morning? I don't want to look back in a few years and regret that I should have taken more."

Will sighed as he took my hand, sounding a little bored, just like he had at the time.

"Bella... I think 100 photos of Allie from every single angle _and_ with every combination of the three of us is more than enough."

I ignored the reply that hardly aided my mind that was running into overdrive, moving onto more of my worries instead.

"And she seems too little for us to just leave her there! We're doing the right thing, aren't we Will? Do you think she'll miss us? I wonder if they call us if she realizes we left and starts missing us or if they keep her hostage there. Did you get a funny feeling about that brunette little girl sitting across from Allie? I have a bad feeling about her... She seems older than the other kids. I hope she doesn't pick on Allie!"

"Motor mouth, calm down. Worrying isn't going to help."

I scoff in dispute of Will's unwelcome comment.

"Easier said than done... Why do fathers only possess that whole overprotective thing over stupid things, not the important stuff?! Like I saw you eyeing off that little boy who was trying to hold Allie's hand near the playdough! They are 4! Be realistic! Like there is anything to worry about!"

I'd been expecting another dispute I'd have to reply to, like with verbal tennis. However, I was given a smirk and a very unexpected statement.

"I had a feeling you'd be like this, that Allie is all you're going to talk about and think about until pick up... So, I decided to give it a go at distracting you."

I was pleasantly set back by the comment. Oh really? And how do you plan to do that?"

"Well I guess you're going to have to wait and see then, aren't you?"

* * *

Taking the lead, Will took me on the half an hour drive, as we headed west of the coast, the city and most importantly, the Kindergarten that I felt had taken my daughter hostage.

It was easy to pick the location and activity that was being classified as 'Will's distraction' while we weaved through the roads to Tamborine and its beautiful rainforests.

"Now I know that you know the Mako rainforests and all that like the back of your hand, so I thought that maybe we could explore some more? See how different they are to the ones we know well?" Will explained as he parked in the Tambourine Rainforest visitor area, leaving the car to pluck out a few cooler bags and a blanket that did not look as though it should be used for picnic-purposes.

"Sounds good" I reply, offering my hand out to take one of the few cooler bags that Will was carrying. He declined my offer before walking past and ahead of me, leading me on the intentional route through the rainforest floor until we reached a much quieter and flatter spot on the walking track. It really was the perfect locality for a picnic for two.

Setting up did not take long, and while Allie had been in my mind for the entire trip to Tamborine, as well as for the entire walk through to the picnic spot, when we were finally sitting down my mind was briefly snatched away from worrying about my daughter.

As Will pulled out all sorts of gourmet delights from garlic infused buffalo mozzarella bruschettas, to dark chocolate-coated Goji berries to petite sweet and savoury macaroons, it was safe to say that food overruled fear for a few moments. Honestly, I was so blown away by the food that I momentarily questioned whether it was _me_ that he was setting out to attempt to impress, or whether Pete Evans and Manu Feildel were going to walk over at moment for a _My Kitchen Rules_ mobile-Instant-Restaurant round.

"You have done well... Really, _really_ well, Will. This is way too extravagant for a our-daughters-first-day distraction."

Will shuffled a little closer to me on the not-so comfortable blanket, pressing a kiss to my lips to remind me of another reason why he had gone all-out.

"Yeah, well it is _Allie's_ first day and all, but I also figured that it's _our_ first date in a long, long time too."

"Aww... That's true. I didn't think of it like that" I reply as I work to find a more comfortable position on the picnic blanket that was making it hard to do. Eventually, I settled with lying on my stomach, kicking my legs up to hover around above me.

In front of me, with the cooler bags and smorgasbord of food that they had contained in front of us, Will moved to a position identical to mine, before pulling the champagne bottle of Moët out with two champagne flutes. For my sake, one curly, glittery pink straw (clearly one of the many that Will had bought for Allie) that twisted and turned in every direction from the start and end point, from the drink to a mouth, was also extracted from the bag.

"Thank you for this. It's the perfect second, first date and it's the perfect distraction for today... Thanks. But now the problem is that I don't want to have to go back to pick her up" I laugh, becoming more and more relaxed on the uncomfortable picnic blanket.

"Well I just can't win, can I now?" Will chuckled, tilting his head back a little as he shook it.

I smirk, playfully shuffling a little more onto the blanket and a little closer to Will.

"I hope you never expected to be able to" I smile, with a shrug that intentionally further lessened the gap and space between us.

Will obviously picked up on my signal as he too moved closer, moving his hand away from where it had been supporting his head. We both reduced the gap between us as he tucked a few fingers under my chin, all the while he used the action to gently and slowly guide my mouth to his.

The feeling and sensation of our lips pressing together, massaging one anothers in a rhythmic unison felt a hundred different types of perfect.

The kiss began soft and slow like a perfect first kiss. Yet despite the excitement and nervousness as though it was a first between us (which it really wasn't, of course), there was the comfort and warmth of our familiarity. It was just a simple rush of fireworks, adrenaline-fuelled excitement and the best sort of happiness surrounding a passion and love.

I hadn't realized how deeply our kiss had intensified, just like I didn't notice when the first round of our kissing had concluded. The two occurrences felt so natural and uncomplicated, that it felt as though we were carrying out two roles that had been written and tailored for us to play out so comfortably.

"Now I know that absence is supposed to make the heart grow fonder, but seriously, kissing you is insane. I can't ever remember it feeling that damn good."

"Well I haven't been taking kissing classes, if that is what you're implying" Will smirked.

I shrug with a subtle grin.

"Pfft. Of course I'm not implying that. I know that I taught you all you know... Just remember that shy guy who thought that a peck could be _ever_ be classified as a 'good kiss'?"

"Yeah, yeah, here we go... I just can't _wait_ to hear what else have you got up your sleeves to tease me about" Will sarcastically mumbled in detest to his teasing.

I laugh at the plentiful memories that had piled up, which came to my mind from the six or so years that I had known Will.

"Like what else? Where should I start? How about that time that you thought that taking me on a double date with _Sophie_ and whatever that guys name was could even potentially turn out to be a good date? Oooh, and let's not forget those totally _sexy_ Blinky Bill pillowcases... And remember when you nipped my lip and accidentally cut it while we were kissing not long after we first got together?! That bled for _so_ long and I had a massive bottom lip for like a week!"

While I was laughing uncontrollably in great amusement of the few memories from many years ago, Will's cheeks appeared redder than I had remembered them being earlier. He appeared as though he wanted to crawl up into a ball and find himself any place but _there_ at that particular time.

"Alright, alright, I get the picture. I'm missing a few brain cells somewhere when it comes to the romance department... Let's change the topic.

"Oh and not to mention remember when you tried to cook me dinner and gave me food poisoning from cross-contamination instead?! Every great date ends in salmonella, right?! You're lucky that I'm even brave enough to eat this food!"

Will shifted a little closer to me again and before I knew it, I was unable to tease him about additional moments that just kept streaming through my mind the more I thought about it, as his lips were pressed to mine once again.

Drifting into the rhythmic duet between our mouths that slowly became a subconscious effort, my mind became freed of worrying about Allie, what the chances were that I would end up with food poisoning today again and any other of my boyfriend's not-so-fine moments as I drifted away and truly absorbed the relaxing moment...

* * *

"So this one's a mermaid for Aunty Rikki and that one's a rainbow for Aunty Tam. I made you a shark, Uncle Zane, but I don't think it's all dry yet so be careful! Daddy, I made you a painting of daddy's house here and mummy, I painted us with daddy for you!" Allie explained to everyone in the room, distributing the appropriate pieces of fresh artwork from her pile of colourful A4 paper with each consecutive explanation.

There was a chorus of 'thanks', 'thank you's' and 'well done's' that flooded the room while my bubbly and extroverted daughter proudly soaked up the attention that was coming her way.

"So how was your first day of Kindy missy? Did you have lots of fun?" Tam asked the four-year-old who was quick to answer.

"It was heaps of fun! I love Kindy!" Allie beamed excitedly. "And guess what?! Daddy said I get to go back there tomorrow too!"

"Speaking of your mummy and daddy, how did you two go? Did you actually manage to leave the Kindy?!" Rikki questioned, using Allie's language, but very much directing her comment at Will and I.

Will laughed a little, earning himself a nudge from my elbow into his chest that was beside me.

"Yeah... I got Bella out of the place, _eventually_, and we managed to have a good time considering the circumstances."

"Oh yeah? What did you guys get up to? Actually, do I even want to know the answer to that?" Rikki asked, firing the questions at us before ending with a cringe.

A romantic picnic for two would generally be the true and hassle-free answer to give as our reply, but the truth was a little more questionable to our friends who didn't know that our relationship had evolved from the steady friendship we had maintained for the last three years.

That was a part of our deal and decision with taking things extra slow this time around. We didn't want anyone, not our closest friends and not Allie, to know that we were giving a romantic relationship a second shot, almost six years since we had the first time. We didn't want them to know until we knew or could have confidence in the fact that it was going to work this time. Needless to day though, my confidence in us was growing.

"We just hung out and ate."

"What? For six hours? Whatever you say..." Rikki smirked and I could tell she didn't believe me. Heck, even I didn't believe me!

Thankfully, while I had been born with almost a total inability to lie, it was Will who stepped in and amped up the credibility of the cover story that was lacking believability.

"It wasn't anything too exciting, Rikki. When we dropped her off we realized we hadn't gotten Allie a library book bag so we just went to Robina Mall, picked one up, looks at a few other shops, grabbed a bite to eat and then by that time it was almost time to get her again. The day flew by."

"Damn. I had a boring day. I was hoping there was something juicier to it to spice up my own day..." Rikki confessed honestly, actually appearing a little bitter that we had unknowingly failed her.

In front of me, I stroke Allie's hair as she wiped her eyes in between explaining her day in full to Tam, while us other adults were talking.

"I might get missy home now. I think she is gonna crash from exhaustion by the time she walks in the door. She's had a big day..." I explain, mostly to Rikki and Will.

After informing my reluctant, but overtired daughter of our departure, I hug the girl's goodbye and begin to leave before Will announced that he will walk Allie and I out.

En route from the small journey between the lounge room and the car, Allie's over-tiredness began to crack as she pleaded to stay with the others... Then she begged for Will to carry her and her Kindy bag, then she whined for me to stop talking to Will and then she cried to stay here. The poor thing didn't know what to do with her tiredness.

After having noticed that our daughter appeared to have succumb to sleep or very nearly sleeping in her car seat, I briefly give Will a kiss goodbye, with a smile, just before I moved closer to the door where I would take my spot in the driver's seat of my car.

"Thank you for today. It was really special... for us, just as much for Allie."

* * *

**Hope you guys loved the new chapter. Would love your thoughts on it... Anything remotely to do with the chapter, Wella, Allie or 'Wellie' (haha) and their day of firsts. Do you think they should have sent her to Kindy? **

**At least 73 reviews for more please :)**

**Next chapter: Cleo and Lewis make decisions regarding their child, while Lewis has an irrational freakout... '_Lewis style_'.**


	8. Damage Control

**Hey guys. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Very sorry that this one has taken so long to post... Was hoping to have this up a lot earlier, but I've had a bit of a mammoth week (in a good way, though)! **

**Regardless, new chapter is finally here and I hope that you'll love it.**

**P.s. Announcement of a competition at the bottom of the chapter :). **

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**Chapter Eight – Damage Control**

_Lewis's POV:_

Popping up and running out of bed was a habit that I was becoming _way_ too accustomed with. Not in a good way.

After registering that my wife had bolted out of bed, I knew that it was going to be a long morning. That was even before hearing the confirmation of my assumption seconds later, which came from the noise in our ensuite that was connected to our bedroom.

The morning sickness was one of the only symptoms that Cleo had been suffering from lately as a result of her pregnancy, but that one symptom was bad enough for the poor thing. Even though the nausea was spasmodic and only hit a couple of days a week, there was no rhyme or reason as to when it would strike.

I'd researched and looked into everything I could for any natural remedies and relievers for the nausea, but we'd had _no_ luck at all. Every attempt could be categorized as being bad, or worse... either 'not making her feel better or any different' or, 'making her feel worse'.

Not to mention, I am certain that repeated morning sickness has got to be one of the hardest, if not the hardest symptoms of a pregnancy to hide. The prevalent vomiting just made the excuses for as to why Cleo was sick most mornings a chore to hide from her family, while we were still keeping the pregnancy between us and Bella, who Cleo informed me had managed to guess it.

So far, we had used every excuse from 'she swallowed a fly yesterday, what goes in, must come out' and 'Cleo thought her chicken was a bit nasty last night' to 'haven't you heard about the stomach flu that's going around?'.

However, despite all of our excuses and all of our attempts to execute those reasons the best way that we could, I knew that we couldn't run from the fact that we were running out of time, and wool, to cover my in-laws eyes with before our secret wouldn't be a secret for much longer.

We were losing credibility. Fast.

After the cold tiles that woke my feet beneath me, I crouched behind Cleo. My next motion was to quickly scoop up her long locks away from her face and out of the firing line, rubbing up and down her back that I could feel tensing up beneath my hand.

"It's okay, bub, it's okay..." I whispered in an attempt to soothe her agony.

After ten minutes of on and off vomits, Cleo eventually cleaned her mouth, collapsing into my arms I opened up to invite her into.

"Sorry Lewis... I'm so sorry" she wept, shaking uncontrollably from her sickness beneath my arms.

I held her tighter, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she buried into my chest and shoulder.

"What are you sorry for? It's not your fault..." I whisper in reassurance, smoothing and stroking the hair that I had been holding out of the way for her the last 10 minutes or so earlier.

"I know" she sniffled, before continuing. "But it's gross. And I woke you up. Again. I'm sorry..."

Beneath my arms where I was holding her against me, we were in a warm embrace from our positions sitting on the floor. I squeeze Cleo a little tighter, but just as gently, keeping in mind her physically and emotionally fragile state.

"Don't worry about it. How's the nausea?"

"Next question?" she retorted, even though I didn't need an answer to know what the answer to my own question was. I'd just been hoping that she felt better than how she looked.

I'd like to think that I, more than most people, can tell what Cleo's thinking and how she's feeling, but right now it didn't take a genius to understand what was represented by her scarily pale, washed out appearance compared to her usually darker and toned complexion. In fact, I could still feel her light, small shakes beneath my arms as another guide to answer the question that I had asked.

Eventually and slowly, I guide Cleo to stand up, walking her back to our room where we both collapse onto the unmade bed we had evacuated from earliee this morning.

Fluffing the pillow behind me, I lay on the bed, half-sitting up and half-reclined from my pillows as Cleo used my chest as her resting place and pillow, snuggling up against my side.

"Have you thought anymore about whether you think you should see a doctor? We don't even know how far along you are."

The topic of whether Cleo should or shouldn't see the local GP as any normal pregnant woman would do for the ultrasounds, specialist appointments and check-ups had been discussed between us multiple times.

We'd narrowed down that bloods weren't an option, no way. I had the capabilities to monitor things like iron levels and blood pressure, without the added risk, and most other details that a blood test would determine were unchangeable and potentially only giving us more to worry about.

There was also the dilemma of ultrasounds which was another risk, although there was also the chance that the scan could be perfectly fine, safe and hassle-free.

Years ago, during her pregnancy with Allie, I had conducted a test on Bella with various ultrasound gels used in hospitals and clinics to ensure that the water concentration wasn't too high and wouldn't cause a transformation. Also, after I researched both the science and mythology behind mermaid offspring, I came to the conclusion that if a baby is mer at all, it would only be a change that would take place after birth, not during the gestational period.

My research had meant that she'd safely been able to have one ultrasound appointment, partly to put her mind at ease and ensure that fetus Allie didn't have any deformities. After only discovering that she was pregnant several months in, and after several months of lifestyle choices that weren't ideal for during a pregnancy, myself ams our mutual friends realized that we had to put Bella's mind at rest. If we didn't, she was at risk of her paranoia disintegrating her mind, before she had even had a chance to go through childbirth.

"Yeah I have... As long as you're okay with it, I've decided I don't want to. As long as I keep healthy, take vitamins and get you to take the basic tests to keep my levels up and normal, I think that's all that matters. Of course it'd be nice seeing the baby, but it's not worth the risk. Not to mention, if there is something wrong with the baby, then there's probably nothing we can do about it whether we know or not, so there's no point worrying."

"That's fine. I'll do my best to find out what I can, but I don't want to expose you to any risks if it's not necessary" I confirm, pressing a kiss to the top of her head which was nestled between my arm and chest.

With a quiet exhale in the form of a sigh, Cleo moved her body to curl up into ball, clutching her arms around her stomach, assumedly in pain.

It was horrible seeing Cleo in pain, I hated it. The morning sickness and nausea hurt me enough while it was hurting her, so I couldn't even imagine how she would be feeling.

As much as I could not wait to be a father and as much as I could not wait for our child to be born, the initial shine of excitement about the news had been taken away as reality had started to sink in.

The logistics of a baby were setting in more than the prospects of the baby were.

Financially, we would be indefinitely reliant on one wage and Cleo's maternity leave payout. Since I had had to quit my job after my Guillain-Barré hit and then after failing to be reinstated to my previous position, I was still only slowly climbing my way through the science industry all over again.

Yes we would have some income and cash flow for us, but in that time we would have to complete a nursery, buy the furniture and other big or small knick knacks for the baby, as well as likely have to shift out and find our own place away from the Sertori's once again.

The fact was looming that very soon, I would have to be supporting three people on one-and-a-bit payrolls, either in a house with six people residing in it, or by somehow affording to rent our own place again.

The more that I found myself considering the statistical, financial, logistical and factual details of our expanding family, the more I could feel the lump in the back of my throat and the tighter my chest began to feel.

Wriggling away from Cleo and beginning to get off our bed, I decided to preoccupy myself with making breakfast.

"Do you feel up to eating anything? I can bring you a plain piece of toast and a cup of tea if you want..."

Cleo shook her head, not moving from her curled up position on our double bed.

"I'll be fine. Don't think I'm up to eating yet."

I lean down to press a kiss to my wife's hair a final time, before leaving our room and deciding I'd make something for her anyway, so it was there when she did feel like eating.

* * *

I walk downstairs to the silent first storey of my in-laws home which had become mine over the last few years. That was not a hard adjustment to make since for many, many years before that I'd always considered the place my home away from home.

Noticing the silence, I realized I had forgotten that it was a weekend, meaning that Don was out playing his golf, Sam was working and Kim would either be at a friend's house in the aftermath of a party or out with a study group (knowing my sister-in-law, it was far more likely to be the first option).

I began to make simple eggs for myself and toast for both of us, with a pot of tea. However, it was as I opened the fridge to start pulling ingredients out, just like with everything in life at the moment, when the baby became the first thing I considered in relation to any aspect of day-to-day life.

After browsing through the fridge, I notice the side holder for milk, the egg holders, the fun-size bag of chocolate, the _Chicken Tonight_ with a recommended serving for four and the evenly quantified bags of carrots. Everything consisted of even numbers, spaces and quantities. It was perfect for sharing and distributing between twos or fours... Not threes.

I could hear the footsteps coming down the stairs and made the automatic conclusion of who it was, given there was only one possibility of who it could be.

Cleo entered the kitchen and I instantly noticed her cheeks seemed to have a little more colour in them than what they had minutes earlier and she seemed a little brighter. I figured that it was getting safe to assume the morning sickness was passing on for the day.

"I'm just getting a drink" my wife informed me and I simply gave her a smile back in acknowledgment.

Shutting the door of the fridge and attempting to close my thoughts on some of my silly and worrisome thoughts that searching the refrigerator had presented, I continued with preparing breakfast.

Getting the bread in the toaster and the eggs underway, all was going well until I noticed one of Sam's cookbooks opened on the kitchen, with about 6 recipes spread out between the open pages. The serving sizes of four of the recipes were to prepare a meal suitable for two people, while the other two recipes were recommended to serve four people.

It was only a little thing, but it turned out that something small as serving sizes was enough to push me over the edge. It was enough to surface all of my fears and downsides that I had been trying to gloss over involving this new change in our lives.

Just as Cleo placed the cup and straw she'd been drinking from down into the sink, appearing to be about to walk off and return upstairs and most likely to our bedroom, I stopped her and removed the filter between my thoughts and my words.

"Cleo? Everything is for even numbers! There'll be three of us! What are we going to do?!"

Across the room, Cleo squinted at me, as though I was speaking a foreign language and she was trying to catch onto the same train of thought that I was headed down.

"Good calculating mister. We're going from two to three. What do you mean? There's not much we _can_ do."

"But everything is going to be out of proportion! Everything is for _two_ or _four_ people! Everything is designed for an _even_ number of people! We're going to be an **odd** number!"

I take a deep breath, preparing to list off a few examples that I had encountered so far to add fuel to my flame that I had kept to myself, noting that Cleo seemed a little confused during my pause.

"I mean cans of soup are for _two_ people, or a sachet is for _four_ people! Almost every recipe under the sun is for _four_ people so regardless of if we move out again or stay living here and doubling recipes there's always going to be too much or too little food! And buying tickets is going to be uneconomical! Single tickets for movies, theme parks, you name it, and they are the most expensive. Not to mention, we'll need a child ticket on top of that as well because family tickets are for _four_ people!

Cleo looked over to me vaguely, but a little warily.

"Is this your way of telling me that you're hoping we have twins? Just so that we will have an even number of people?"

Listening to what she said, the way she had worded it, I realized just how stupid it sounded and what a cheapskate it made me seem like.

"Cleo? Help me. I'm losing the plot over _soup_..." I pleadingly say to my wife, managing to keep a straight face for a second or two before losing it, bursting into laughter and shaking my head as I grasp my neck from behind. I was fortunate that it hadn't taken me long to realize just how far and just how dramatic my thought processes had become.

Stopping herself before she walked out of the kitchen, Cleo turned around with an amused giggle.

"Come here you big boofhead" she opened her arms up and we walked towards each other, wrapping our arms around one another in an embrace, while we both fought our amusement and struggled to contain our laughter.

"I could tell that you've been stressing out about something lately over the last few days... But _that's_ what it was?!"

I nodded shamefully, trying to disguise my laughs by pressing my lips into the top of her hair as we held each other tightly, our bodies shaking lightly in the bursts of laughter and amusement.

"Oh Lewis... There are so many alternatives out there, you big stress head. You can divide recipes into enough ingredient for three people, or, you know that leftovers are always welcome! We'll get over tickets and what not - it's only a matter of a few dollars difference. And what was the last thing you were freaking out over? I'm supposed to be the one who has the freak outs in this relationship, not you!"

"I know, Cleo... It was stupid. I love you. I love you and I love that kid, or kids, regardless of whether there's one, or two, or six of them in there and regardless of whether it'll make our family an odd or even number."

Cleo's amused smile widened more. Momentarily, she stabilized the bottom of my chin between a few of her fingers, while she used the other hand to gently stroke a finger or two along one of cheeks as she guided her lips up to meet mine.

Life was good.

No amount of odd or even statistics or recipes that were intended to feed one mouth more than we needed could change that.

* * *

**What were the thoughts on this chapter? Don't forget to pop a review in. ****88**** reviews for the new chapter! **

**Next chapter: We look into life as newly-weds for Rikki and Zane, while we meet an elusive ****new character...**

* * *

**So, it's competition time! Who would like to make the Far From Perfection 2 cover?...**

**RULES:**

**- Remember FFP is a multiple-character focused story so I don't want to see like 3 photos of Rikki/Zikki (or any other character/couple for that matter!).**

**- The cover doesn't necessarily have to cram _every_ character on the cover, perhaps just using one photo representative of H2O/Far From Perfection.**

**- You can enter as many photos/potential covers as you would like!**

**- Be creative!**

**- Submit your images, preferably jpeg with the dimensions of 300(width)x 450(height) or larger... A.K.A - NOT square. **

**- Send your image submissions to the email address on my bio, under the 'other accounts' heading. In case you were wondering, that email account is like a week old and is not connected to this account so don't waste your time trying to guess passwords, haha! **

**- Any questions, just message me.**

**- The deadline is a week from the date of posting, but if need be, I can give you an extension. Just send me a message if you need it. **

**... And the prizes?**

**_FIRST PLACE PRIZE:_**

**- Winner will be credited for the cover art.**

**- Winner will receive the next chapter in advance to it being posted.**

**- Winner's cover art will be used for this story.**

**_ALL ENTRANTS:_**

**- Will have their entries credited and posted on the FFP Tumblr page.**

**- Will receive a part of the new chapter.**


	9. Better The Devil You Know

**Hey all! Very exciting week. Bought my first car, got a new job, found out I passed all my classes for this semester with flying colours, been on holiday and had my last day at my first job all in the last 10 or so days since I updated!**

**Thank you to all the beautiful people who entered my competition. I couldn't believe how many entries I received when I was only expecting like 4 or 5 - thank you! I can honestly say that I loved every single one of your entries which made it an impossible task to choose one as a stand out from the others. I actually had to bring in reinforcements and get friends to help me choose a winner. Congratulations to _MakoIslands_ on the winning entry! I hope you all love the new cover as much as I do! All entries can be seen on the FFP 2 Tumblr blog. **

**_*To other entrants*_ Please note that I really tried my hardest with sending out the sneak peeks for this chapter, but I was juggling only getting 20 minutes of poor internet connection a day while trying to send them out to everyone so I easily may have overlooked sending it to you. If this is the case, let me know either via review/PM/email and I WILL make it up to you! Also, apologies if you made a cover or were planning to, but didn't get a chance to enter before the deadline. There will be more comps eventually... ;) **

**Also, just as a warning, but bam, we are in present tense! Sorry guys. Only had about a half an hour to edit this and present is always easier! **

**Thank you to all of the lovely reviewers and their kind words on the last chapter. Now, onto the story!**

* * *

**Chapter Nine – Better the Devil You Know**

_Rikki's POV:_

Life as a wife, as a married couple, as Mrs. Zane Bennett; life as _whatever_ you wanted to call it, is incredible.

Of course, Zane and I might have to step outside our bedroom for more than just food if we expected our life to feel like anything else than a dream.

In the past, I had never considered marrying Zane. In fact, I had never considered marrying anyone, or even marriage in general since I had never really seen myself as one of those people who got stuck in a rut, made roots and committed for the rest of their life. I had never seen myself as a married woman and as wife, with the prospect of a lifetime of fetching slippers, succumbing to the toilet seat staying up for the sake of a saving a fight and investing in a slow cooker for roasts just like any good old bumpkin would.

However, just because I had never considered it in the past, it isn't necessarily something that's not for me, simply because I had never been open to the idea previously. Instead, my interest in marriage had been proven to myself when I was metres in the air atop the Tower Eye, being asked the biggest question of my life. That -as well as the breakfast at Palm Beach where Zane had proposed we eloped while we were away in Sydney- gave me a pretty good idea that maybe marriage _is_ for me just as much as it is for a girl like Cleo.

A set of lips and a hand running up my bare back pulled me from my thoughts.

"What are you thinking about? World peace? Making the world a better place by entering the next 40 hour famine? You've got your serious face on."

"You know me too well" I retort with sarcasm as I move from my new husband's side, taking our sheet with me as a body wrap until I find more suitable attire for going downstairs. Zane and I had already learnt our lesson after Allie's innocent eyes had nearly seen a whole lot more than she should at her age when Will had sent her up to ask for our permission to watch a movie that belonged to me.

"Hey, where are you going? Did I say you could leave me yet? It's not even midday yet, Rik..."

I shrug, with a smug smirk in my husband's direction before readying myself for going down to the communal areas of our share house. As I walked out and downstairs, I didn't give Zane another word and I didn't provide an answer or explanation to Zane before doing so.

* * *

"Oh look at this rare sight, Will. The honeymooners have decided to grace us with their presence and join us down here on planet earth once again..." my younger sister muses aloud after catching me walking down the exit. She must have spotted me from her spot at the dining room table while scrawling on an assortment of papers, that were accompanied by a diminishing packet of _Tim Tam's._

"Have I told you that I love your sarcasm before? No wonder I've chosen to stay upstairs so much lately."

"Yeah, no. I don't think that your disliking to Tam's sarcasm is the reason that you two have taken it upon yourselves to stay locked in up there" Will adds with a smirk in Tam's direction, where the comment is welcomed by my sister's amusement far more enthusiastically than with my own eye roll.

Joining me in the living area after trailing downstairs a few consistent steps behind me, Zane seemed oblivious to the others comments that had me wondering whether he had even heard Tam and Will's banter in the first place.

However, as Zane wrapped his arms around me, my mind and thoughts quickly fled from pondering our housemate's taunts.

As he lead us towards the French-door refrigerator, Zane didn't hesitate to open one door to block Will and Tam's view from us before leaning in for much more than just a brief kiss.

After our deep, spine-tingling kiss (literally, kissing _that_ close to the inside of the fridge is chilly to say the least) finally broke, our inhibition-less romp around the kitchen continues with Zane's discovery of a very creative use for the common wooden spoon that happened to be in his reach, near the saucepans.

"Oh gosh. Thank goodness Allie isn't here today to see this..." Will says, speaking up disapprovingly. Really, his opinion is only acting as a reminder to me that he and Tam were still around after Zane and I shamefully got a little lost in the moment.

"This is what happens to people when they get married? They get a pretty ring and a piece of paper and then they think that they're free to begin their lives of degrading dignity. It's probably all in preparation for 50 years time, when you've seen and know every putrid and minuscule detail there is to know about each other. Please know that you don't need to get a head start on that by dropping your guard on the quantity and quality of your PDA's. Some of us need to keep our lunch down!"

Will didn't hold back with letting us know that he is agreement with my sister on her long-winded and unimpressed spiel. Unfortunately our housemates protests were enough for me to realise that Zane and I were interrupted just enough to be able to deflate our 'moment' and spoil it.

"I know... But don't get me wrong. Fluff and romance is great...when you're involved in it. It's just not so great to watch as a spectator sport."

Tam burst out laughing and as Zane moved a little further away from me, it became clear that there are only two people amused by the discussion that I felt as though they should be having behind our backs.

"Well it's not my fault that neither of you are as romantically blessed as I am!" I retort seriously, a move that I discover to be out of place in Tam and Will's lighthearted banter.

"That's right. And you're obviously **so** proud of your relationship and marriage that you felt the need to shun your friends and family to elope, right?!"

The direction and the bitterness that Tam took our conversation to only confirmed my instinct that has been something floating around in the back of my mind since we returned home from Sydney. I have had my suspicions about it since the day we told our nearest and dearest that we had made the decision to upgrade from being engaged, to being married on our own while we were away.

"Are you still disappointed that we didn't have a proper wedding ceremony and that you couldn't be there when we got married, Tam? I apologised for that - I said I'm sorry and that we just thought eloping was what was best for _us_. It really wasn't because we didn't want you there."

As Tam stood up from her seat at the dining table abruptly, she scoops the papers she had been working on, along with the packet of _Tim Tam's_, into her arms with her, as she left the room with three words sounding forced and anything but genuine.

"It's fine. _Really_."

* * *

Later in the day, I drew the short straw while deciding who drew the short straw and get rid of the full and tied up bag of rubbish. taking it out to the plastic bin where it it is waiting for collection day out by our driveway.

Domestic duties are a normal thing. However, seeing a guy that I have never seen before in my life sitting on our curb is not.

"Can I help you?" I frown cautiously, wondering why the young man with copper-coloured hair is sitting on our property and on our yard. As I gave the guy a once over, I note that he seems to be a little older than myself, appearing to be waiting for someone or something.

"I would have asked you if you could, so it doesn't look like you can, does it?"

"Excuse me?! Calm your farm, mate!"

The words of the guy which I automatically translate into a rude manner set me back a little... That is before he shot a glance behind his shoulder toward me with a cheeky smirk on his face which surprisingly enough set me back even more than the comment that I had misconstrued as rude had.

"I'm kidding. Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine. Sorry for messing with you, I was getting a little bit bored and needed a little bit of amusement. Sorry that that meant snapping at you."

I had been baited and I took it, being snared hook, line and sinker.

I struggle a little with believing the fact that the random I found myself engaged in conversation with, without either of us knowing the other's name, had been so successful in reading me so clearly, like a book.

"So, bored-boy ... What's your name?"

"If I tell you, I'd have to kill you" the man replies sharply, not dropping his game. I could sense his attitude bringing out a fight and challenging spirit in me to keep up. However, at the same time, it irked me that so far the guy always seemed to be that one step ahead of me and my game. That is not to mention that it kept me even more annoyed that so far, he had been able to read me so clearly and precisely. He _knew_ that I would rise to the bait he set up on the earlier occasion, while I _still _have no clue and don't know the first thing about whoever I have been talking to.

"What about you? Tell me about you and whoever you are. You seem like an interesting woman. It might keep me entertained for a few more minutes then."

Mystery guy set another challenge and while my first reaction is to instantaneously rise to the challenge and respond, I could feel another instinct that struck me as familiar. There is something about his manner, his smile that feels way too familiar, but I just can't put my finger on how it could be.

"Nah. You can find another curb to chill out on and creep out poor residents from. My _husband's_ inside waiting for me."

"Ooh. Can I guess this 'husband's' name? Let me guess... Is it _Mr. X_? And maybe his name is '_Incognito_?'"

I roll my eyes and cross my arms. I can easily tell that he doesn't believe me... The thing is, I have no idea of why I care so much that he doesn't believe me... Like I care _that_ much to fake a marriage and a ring just on the off chance that I may meet and be challenged by a guy like this.

Maybe I am being so defensive because I feel a little insecure. Just minutes ago, there had been a passing moment, a flicker, that caused me to marginally feel like and suspect that I was being hit on...

While every ounce of me is screaming out that it isn't normal to find a stranger sitting out on your front yard, there is this curiosity and air of mystery to the situation which is only intriguing me more. The fact that a stranger who is not giving much information out about himself and his intentions is even more puzzling, but the familiarity to him is what is keeping me there.

I just can't nut out how, or when, or why a situation that really does feel to be a first-time meeting, can be so vaguely familiar at the same time.

Does he remind me of someone? Maybe I had been at school with a sibling of his or maybe it had been one of those chance-non-meeting-meetings where you accidentally bump into someone, apologize, share eye contact briefly and move on, assuming that you will never see each other again for the rest of your life.

Being torn away from them with a bellow, my thoughts cease of what I can do or say next to in the very least enable me to know this man's name, or, better yet, why he is here and what, or who, he is after.

"Hey, Benjamin!" the nameless guy exclaims as he looks over my shoulder to my house-mate as he is walking outside from our share house and heading over to us. "You didn't write, you didn't call... I thought you were breaking up with me!"

The guy in front of me fails to contain a laugh at what I am only left to assume is at his own joke. Meanwhile, at the same time, Will is doing his best to try and put up an un-amused eye roll, but I can tell he is suppressing a smile or even a laugh.

"Whatever, Kyle... This is a surprise. What are you doing here, mate?"

From the scrunched up face and confused smile on Will's face, I couldn't quite tell if it is a good thing or a bad thing that this person, whoever he is, is here on my front yard...

* * *

**So a little bit of a filler chapter here, I'm sorry, but it is definitely foreshadowing and bridging the path for our new character and new storylines! **

**Any theories/predictions/guesses about Kyle? Would love to hear them!**

**At least the big 1-0-0 reviews for the next chapter! :)**

**Next chapter: We uncover more about the identity of Kyle and what is connection to Will is. Meanwhile, Bella and Will let their friends in on their secret. **


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